


Melting Ice

by Heavenly_Pearl



Category: Kaleido Star
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2017-11-05 09:08:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 144,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/404684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavenly_Pearl/pseuds/Heavenly_Pearl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After failing to make the Olympic team, skater Yume Naegino decides to join Kaleido Stage. She is chosen by Fool to perform the Lovers' Maneuver, but to do so, first she must melt the heart of her partner Mikhail, popularly known as the Ice Prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End Of A Dream

**Author's Note:**

> "Kaleido Star" doesn't belong to me.

Ice.

To those who longed for the hot, sunny days of summer, the word was akin to death. They were the ones who couldn't wait for the ice of winter to melt away, bringing with it the promise of new life and young love. But for eighteen-year-old Yume Naegino, the ice was her second home, as warm to her as a mother's embrace or a favorite blanket. Every time she stepped on the ice, she felt her entire body ignite in fire, holding back the cold of the rink and almost bringing her to a state of euphoria.

That was exactly how she felt as she took the ice for her six-minute warm-up period with the five other girls in her flight, preparing for the most important free skate of their lives up until that point. Tonight, three of their dreams would come true, and there was a good chance Yume's would be one of them.

After all, it was All-Japan, one of the most important competitions of the year, and even more so this year. Not only were they competing for a spot on the world team, it was also an Olympic year, which meant three lucky ladies would be heading to Russia next February to skate for Japan.

It would be a tough competition, though. The strength and talent of the Japanese in ladies' figure skating had been rising ever since Shizuka Arakawa won the first gold for Japan at the 2006 Turino Games. (In fact, though Yume didn't remember it, having only been about two at the time, her mother swore that after watching her skate on TV, Yume would not stop saying "Ina Bauer," the name of the Olympic champion's signature move, for a week.) Any one of the six girls in the final flight of skaters had a chance to take one of the three Olympic berths available; that was how close all of them were. They all had experience on the international level - Yume had actually placed fifth at last year's Worlds in Warsaw, as well as won a bronze at the Grand Prix final behind two of her countrywomen and the gold at Four Continents - and all were at the top of their game technically, performing some of the most difficult programs of all the ladies in the world. It would all come down to how well they performed in the free skate to decide who would win the coveted spots.

As she landed a perfect triple lutz, triple loop combination in the center of the ice, however, Yume tried not to think of that. It made her too nervous whenever she thought of the importance of her free skate. As her coach had told her that morning at practice, it was better just to think of it as just another competition, no more important than Skate America or the NHK Trophy, instead of the qualifier for the World and Olympic teams.

"Hey, Naegino-san, got a triple axel yet?" the current leader after the short program, Sugi Tanizaki, taunted as she passed Yume by and proceeded to perform a textbook triple axel right in front of her, ending with a satisfied smirk in Yume's direction.

The audience burst into spontaneous applause, but Yume, knowing Sugi was only trying to psyche her out, ignored her and practiced one of her spin combinations.

 _I wish I did have the triple, though,_ Yume couldn't help but think as she went down into a sit spin. She and her coach Akina Hasegawa had been working on the axel for the past couple of seasons, but while she could land it on occasion, it was nowhere near consistent enough to consider putting it in a competitive program.

Unfortunately for Yume, Sugi Tanizaki wasn't the only one with the axel in her arsenal of triple jumps. Inspired by skaters such as Midori Ito and, more recently, Mao Asada, the first woman to land two triple axels in a single program, Kiku Nogawa and Miyako Kazama also had the axel, and they were currently second and fourth, respectively, in the standings after the short program, book-ending Yume, who was in third place due to Miyako's slip during her serpentine footwork sequence and generally weaker spins. Yume's presentation was definitely more refined than Miyako's, and her technique was sound, but if Miyako skated cleanly with the axel and the quad toe she was practicing during the warm-up, Yume wasn't sure she could hold onto the last spot on the podium.

"Don't think about Kazama-san," Yume ordered herself with a shake of her head as she came out of her spin. "Jumps aren't everything. Artistry and presentation count, too, especially in the free skate. You can still do this."

Just then the whistle sounded, meaning the warm-up was over. Kiku Nogawa, who was skating first, stayed on the ice, while everybody else filed off backstage.

Yume wasn't skating until later - she had drawn the next to last spot, her favorite - so she sat down and started taking off her skates. A few seconds later, her coach joined her, giving Yume a pat on the back.

"You looked good out there, Naegino," Coach Hasegawa said. "Great landings on the triple/triple. Keep that up, and I say we'll be going to Russia."

"I don't know, coach," Yume sighed after taking off her second skate. "Did you see Tanizaki-san out there? Her axel was perfect, and she's the Michelle Kwan of Japan when it comes to artistry. It'll be hard for anyone to touch her."

"Don't worry so much about Tanizaki. That she will be given one of the berths is practically a given. She is, after all, the reigning World Champion. Your real threat is Kazama, that little jumping bean. It was lucky for us that she messed up her footwork in the short, but you're going to have to skate cleanly if you want to hold onto that third spot."

"Do you think I should put the axel in there?" Yume asked, wondering if she should take a gamble. "I did manage to land two this morning."

"How many times do I have to tell you that two out of ten is not a good enough percentage to take that kind of risk, Naegino?"

"I know, I know."

"Just stick to the program," the coach told her. "Better to be safe than sorry, right? And keep moving, sport. I don't want your muscles tightening up before you get on the ice."

"Yes, ma'am."

After Coach Hasegawa left to fill up Yume's empty water bottle, Yume dug her iPod out of her duffel bag and set it to her music for her long program, a jazzy American blues number she had fallen in love with the last time she had gone to California to see her sister Sora. She then began lightly jogging around backstage, imagining herself performing a perfect program.

It was a technique her coach taught her called visualization. Supposedly, if a skater imagined herself skating a clean program, she was more likely to actually do it when it really counted. When Coach Hasegawa first told her about it, Yume thought it was a little crazy, dismissing it as some kind of New Age nonsense, but she had to admit it had seemed to help her focus more during competitions since she had started doing it regularly.

Triple lutz/triple loop…mohawk entrance into triple salchow…spread eagle into double axel…camel spin into illusions - remember to keep foot pointed…triple loop…spiral sequence…serpentine footwork…a lutz - don't flutz or Coach will kill you…triple flip/triple toe/double loop…layback…straight-line footwork…triple toe/double axel…high split…high split…combo spin…

Yume went through the program twice in her mind before Coach Hasegawa came back, nearly scaring her to death when she tapped Yume on the shoulder to get her attention. Pulling the earphones out of her ears, she switched off the music and turned around. In one hand, the coach held her water bottle, which she immediately offered to a thirsty Yume, and in the other was her cellphone.

"It's your folks," the coach said. "They want to wish you good luck, but don't talk too long. Kazama's free skate is about to begin, so you need to start putting your skates back on and get ready."

"I won't," Yume promised, taking the phone. "Mom? Dad?"

"Hey, it's me," her mother's voice said over the phone. "How are you doing, sweetie? Nervous yet?"

"A little."

"That's to be expected, but remember your dad and I are here, cheering you on, and we will be very proud of you no matter what happens, even if you don't make the Olympic team. You should just go out there, have fun, and skate the best you can."

Yume smiled, grateful that her parents never were the type to put a lot of pressure on her when it came to her skating. A lot of the parents of the other skaters in her skating club were exactly the opposite, pushing their kids so hard, some would come to practice in tears. "I know, okaa-san, and I will. Thanks."

"I'm sure your sister would say the same thing if she was here," her mother added. "It's such a shame little Hana-chan caught the chicken pox at the last minute. I know Sora and Ken-san were really looking forward to coming to Japan and watching you compete at All-Japan."

Yume sighed, wishing her sister and her family could have been there as well. She had been extremely disappointed when Sora called the day before the short program to inform her about her daughter Hana being sick and that they wouldn't be able to fly out to Japan after all. Sora did promise that if Yume made the Olympic team, though, nothing and nobody would stop her from going to Russia.

"Did otou-san remember to bring the video camera?" Yume asked. They had promised Sora they would send her a tape of her performance since she couldn't be there in person.

"Yes, he brought it. He's putting in some fresh batteries as we speak."

"Good. Remind him to take the lens cap off this time before he starts filming."

Her mother chuckled. "That I will…oh!"

"What? What is it, okaa-san?"

In the background, Yume heard a faint applause that made her heart sink since she knew it was for Miyako Kazama, her rival for the third spot, who was currently on the ice. Her mother, however, was quick to brush it off. "It's nothing, Yume," she assured her. "Just do your very best, okay?"

"Okaa-san, did Kazama-san do the quad?" Yume asked, squeezing her cell so hard, she was positive her knuckles were white.

Instead of answering, her mother said, "Oh, look at the time. You're skating next, aren't you? Then I should probably let you get ready now. Remember, we'll be cheering for you. Do your best, Yume!"

With that, her mother hung up, and Yume groaned, sitting down to put on her skates. If Miyako managed to pull off a quad, which her mother's refusal to admit all but confirmed it, any hope Yume had of making the Olympic team was just about gone. How could she possibly compete with that when she didn't even have a consistent triple axel?

"Naegino, Kazama is almost finished. Time to go," Coach Hasegawa announced. "Chop, chop."

Yume, having finished lacing up her boots, reluctantly stood up, smoothed down the fabric of her midnight blue velvet costume trimmed with sequins, and followed her long-time coach to the entrance onto the ice. She got there just in time to see the very end of Miyako's program, and the audience burst into enthusiastic applause as the sixteen-year-old jumping prodigy completed her final layback spin. Personally, Yume thought Miyako's layback position was horrible, nothing graceful or beautiful about it at all, but the audience didn't seem to care, tossing dozens upon dozens of bouquets and plush toys onto the ice as Miyako headed to the area commonly referred to as the Kiss-and-Cry to wait for her score.

"Don't let it get to you, Naegino," her coach said as Yume took off her skate guards and stepped out onto the ice. "Remember what I always told you? It's good to go after someone who just had a great skate. The audience is already pumped, so you've got something to build on."

"Right." Smiling, Yume tried her best to sound confident, but she must not have done a good job, since Coach Hasegawa frowned.

"Don't lose focus out there. I know you're tempted to go for the axel, but stick to the program. Kazama, despite what you might think, did not have a perfect program. She flutz'd her lutz, and some of her landings were a bit shaky."

"But she did land the triple axel and her quad, didn't she?" Yume asked, fearing to hear the answer she already knew.

Coach Hasegawa, after a short pause, nodded. "But don't think you're out of the running just yet," she was quick to add. "Your spinning ability is far superior, your spiral sequence is considered the most elegant in the competition, and your footwork would give even Yagudin-san a run for his money back in the day. Remember, Naegino, skating is not just about the jumps. Repeat that back to me, and say it like you mean it."

"Skating is not just about the jumps."

"Good. Now, go get them, tiger."

After taking one last drink of water as she listened to Miyako's score, Yume skated to the center of the ice and got into position to begin the most important skate of her life.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Skating is not just about the jumps. Skating is not just about the jumps. Skating is not just about the jumps…_

As she waited for her music to begin, Yume silently repeated Coach Hasegawa's words in her head like a mantra, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Her coach was right. She couldn't allow herself to think all hope was gone just yet, even if Miyako Kazama had just posted one of the highest technical scores ever seen at All-Japan, catapulting her ahead of Kiku Nogawa in the standings. As long as she skated cleanly, it was still possible she could make the Olympic team.

With that in mind, her music started, and Yume began her program, the familiar fire of performing spreading throughout her body as she prepared for her first jump, a difficult triple/triple combination. While she had performed one perfectly during the warm-up, the second Yume jumped in the air, she realized something was wrong. She was only able to complete a double lutz, landing shakily on her right back outside edge and making it impossible to add the triple loop.

 _Shimatta! I didn't get enough height,_ Yume thought to herself. _At least it wasn't a fall. I can still add the triple loop to my second lutz, and since that's near the end of my program, I can get a bonus. It may just be enough to make up for the double._

Her next element was the mohawk entrance into a triple salchow, so Yume put the minor mistake out of her mind and focused on completing one of the easier jumps in her program. She managed to do the required three revolutions, but, unfortunately, she two-footed the landing.

_Focus, Yume, focus!_

After the salchow came a spread eagle into a double axel. Despite her coach's warnings to stick to the program, Yume knew that if she wanted to make up for her first two mistakes and have any chance of standing on the podium, she had to do something drastic. Sometimes, taking risks was necessary, and if she managed to pull it off, she knew it would pay off big time.

"Sorry, coach," Yume mentally apologized, moving into her spread eagle, then launching herself the air with all the power she could find within herself.

One revolution.

Two revolutions.

Three -

_Crash_

Yume grimaced as she landed hard on the ice, realizing with that disastrous fall that her Olympic dreams were over. Though wanting nothing more than to stop her program and go cry in her mother's arms, Yume forced herself to get back up, smile, and continue on with her skate. As Sora had often said to her over the years, a true star always finished her performances no matter what happened, because that was what the audience deserved.

What was that American saying she was so fond of saying? Oh, right.

The show must go on.

It was true. Even if the judges would mark her low on her score, Yume vowed to spend the rest of her program entertaining the audience, and that was exactly what she did. Without having to worry about the judges or her score anymore, Yume was a free as a bird, skating with more passion than she ever remembered having in her entire life. She even opted out of her most difficult jump sequence in her program - the triple flip/triple toe/double loop - and added in a backflip landed on one foot a la Surya Bonaly, though it was completely illegal in amateur competitions.

What did she care anymore?

The audience ate it up. They didn't care about the mistakes made in the first half of her program; it was as if her fall never happened. They cheered and clapped as if they were watching a gold medal winning performance, and when Yume finished her combination spin and struck her final pose, the standing ovation she received was almost deafening.

 _Wow, was this how onee-chan felt when she completed the Legendary Great Maneuver?_ Yume wondered as she caught her breath and bowed.

Flowers and plush toys rained on the ice at her feet. Yume gathered all she could carry in her arms and headed over to the Kiss-and-Cry, where her none-too-happy coach was waiting for her with her skate guards.

"Yume Naegino, what the heck was that?" Coach Hasegawa demanded to know as Yume placed the guards over her blades. "Do you realize what you have done? You just ruined your chance at an Olympic berth! If you even remain in the top six after that performance, it will be a miracle. I told you to stick with the program, not add in inconsistent triple axels and illegal backflips!"

"I don't care anymore," Yume said, grinning, and the strange thing was, she really didn't. As wonderful as going to the Olympics would have been, she realized then that she just wasn't cut out for competition. She wanted to perform for the audience, not for the judges.

Coach Hasegawa shook her head in bewilderment, but didn't say anything else as they sat down and waited for her scores. As expected, her technical score was low, and she received a heavy penalty for the backflip, but amazingly, her score for program components was the highest in the competition. That still didn't stop Yume from dropping down to fifth place, though, with one more skater left to go - meaning that unless Sugi Tanizaki's free skate was a total disaster, she would end up in sixth place.

"I can't believe this, Naegino," Coach Hasegawa sighed as they headed backstage. "Do you realize with a program components score that high, you might have still medaled even after the mistakes on the first two jumps had you not attempted the axel and stuck with the program?"

"But I never would have been able to skate like that had I not stopped worrying about what the judges would think," Yume explained. "It was knowing that I had lost the berth that allowed me to skate so well during the second half of the program."

"Well, we'll just have to work on making that a permanent aspect of your skating when we start putting together your programs for next season. I suppose one good thing about all of this is that we'll have extra time to prepare since your competitive season is over for the year. Tanizaki and Nogawa are bound to turn pro after the end of the season, so next year can be ours. By the time the 2026 Olympics come along, you'll be unbeatable."

"Actually…"

"What?"

Yume shook her head. Now was not the time.

"Nothing."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next few days following All-Japan, Yume did not show up for practice at the rink, telling Coach Hasegawa that she wanted to take some time off after the stress of All-Japan. The coach had not been happy about that, wanting them to start planning Yume's programs for next year right away, but she reluctantly agreed to the mini-vacation with the promise that Yume would at least listen to some CDs she had given her and start thinking about what music she wanted to use for the new programs.

Yume kept the first part of the deal. She dutifully listened to the CDs - a mix of classical, ballet, and soundtrack music - but it was only for entertainment purposes, not to select music for next year's programs.

She still hadn't told anybody of the decision she had made following her free skate at the All-Japan, not even her parents. She wanted to be certain she had made the right choice before making her announcement, but the more she thought about, the more she felt it was the best thing for her.

Not to say there weren't some things she would miss about competitive skating. Looking up at the collection of various trophies and medals she had won over the years, Yume sighed. She had one day hoped to add an Olympic medal to that collection, but if she decided to turn professional, that dream would never come true.

Yet, Yume did not want to continue competing for another four years just to have another shot at her Olympic dream. By that time, she would be twenty-two years old, and while that didn't seem very old to a normal person, it was practically middle-aged to a competitive figure skater. There were bound to be other Miyako Kazamas coming up the ranks with their triple axels and quads, and Yume just did not feel up to competing with them when all she really wanted to do was to perform and have fun on the ice.

"It's time," Yume finally decided, sitting back up on her bed. "I need to tell them."

Determined, Yume headed downstairs where she found her parents in the living room, engaged in their usual evening activities. Her father was watching the news, while her mother was busy figuring out the Sudoku puzzle from that morning's paper. They both looked up when Yume entered the room.

"Yume, dear, what are you still doing up?" her mother asked. Since Yume usually had practice at the rink from six to seven-thirty in the morning before school started, she rarely stayed up past nine o'clock, not even on weekends when she could afford to sleep in a little later. "I know you're on a break from skating, but you don't want to mess up your sleeping schedule too much. It'll be tough to get back into rhythm when you resume practicing."

"I know," Yume said, taking a seat beside her mother on the couch, "but there's something I want to talk to you and otou-san about. It's about my skating, actually. It's kind of important."

"Your skating?"

At that announcement, her father clicked off the TV and her mother set aside her puzzle, the both of them giving Yume their undivided attention.

"What is it, Yume?" her father asked.

"I-I've made a decision," Yume began, nervous even though she knew her parents would support her no matter what, as they always did. "I want to quit competitive skating and turn professional."

"What?"

As she expected, her parents were thrown by the sudden announcement. "Why?" her mother asked. "Is it because you didn't make the Olympic team this year? Oh, honey, I know you were disappointed, but you can always try again in 2026."

"It's not because of that. At least not entirely." Folding her hands in her lap, Yume tried to think of the best way to describe her reason for wanting to turn professional. "Yes, of course I wish I could have gone to the Olympics. I've dreamed of winning an Olympic medal ever since I was six years old."

"Then why do you want to give up your eligibility?" her father inquired. "Like your mother said, you could still make the next Olympic team."

"I'm tired of competing, otou-san. After I fell on my triple axel attempt at All-Japan, I realized something: I love performing much more than I do the competitions. I don't need medals and trophies; all I need is the applause of the audience. That is the only reward I really want, to know that I've made the audience, not just the judges, happy with my skating."

"I suppose we can understand that," Yume's mother admitted, glancing over at her husband. "After all, Sora had a similar experience while competing at that circus festival in Paris. For a while, it even seemed as if she would give up Kaleido Stage all together, remember, Chikara?"

Yume's father nodded. "Yes, very much so, but she eventually returned to America and rejoined Kaleido Stage."

"Onee-chan never entered another festival after that, though," Yume reminded him, knowing where he was leading, "and I know I don't want to compete any more, either. I just want to skate."

"If that's what you want to do, Yume, that's your decision," her mother said. "Your father and I just want to make sure this is something you really want to do before it's too late."

"It is," Yume assured her. "Since I only have a few more weeks left before graduating high school, for now, I'll concentrate on my studies. Then, once that's over, I'll start thinking about joining a tour or an ice show."

"You really have been giving this a lot of thought, haven't you?" her father said. "Well, we'll support you whatever you do."

Smiling, Yume gave her mother a hug, then walked over to the armchair to give her father one as well. "Thank you for understanding, otou-san," she said.

"We just want you to be happy."


	2. The Invitation

As she promised her parents, Yume turned her focus to her schoolwork, only going to the rink three times a week to keep in shape, instead of every day as she had done while in training. Coach Hasegawa had not been happy to hear about her decision to turn pro but agreed to help Yume find a tour to join.

"Your best bet is to go to America if you want to make a real living off of this," her coach advised her one day after practice. "There's plenty of work there for professional skaters, even for ones like you, who never won a world or Olympic medal. I know some people, so I'm sure I can pull some strings whatever you decide. Just let me know."

"Thanks, Hasegawa-sensei," Yume said, flipping through the folder of material the coach had given her on the various tours and ice shows. "This will be a big help."

"I really wish you would reconsider giving up your eligibility, though, Naegino. Maybe I never told you it enough, but you really do have talent. So what if you don't have the toughest jumps in your arsenal? You could skate circles around the Miyako Kazamas of the world any day."

Yume smiled, appreciating the kind words from the usually gruff coach, but she knew in her heart that she had made the right decision. "Thank you for saying so, but, no, I won't be reconsidering. Turning pro is something I need to do."

"Can't blame a coach for trying," she chuckled before changing the subject. "So, the pairs competition starts tonight in Russia. Will you be watching?"

"I haven't decided yet," Yume admitted with a slight frown. She had been debating with herself for over a week on whether or not she would watch the Olympics this year. "I always look forward to the Olympics, but I'm not sure if I can handle watching the figure skating events this year, knowing I was so close to actually being there myself."

"It's supposed to be a fantastic competition tonight. Mikhail Vladimirov and Tatiana Pekrovskaya are rumored to be attempting a quad throw jump."

"In a short program? Talk about risky."

"Well, Vladimirov and Pekrovskaya are the best there is when it comes to technical ability. If anybody can pull it off, it's them. There's a reason why they are called the Ice Prince and Princess of pairs figure skating, after all. It should be exciting to see. You should really check it out. This could be history in the making."

"I'll think about watching tonight," Yume promised. "For now, though, I need to get home and study. Exams are coming up soon."

"Okay. I'll see you Sunday, then. Look over that info I gave you."

"I will. Bye!"

Yume stuffed the folder into her already bulging book bag, then left the rink, catching the 5:00 bus back to her house. Neither of her parents were home when she arrived, which was unusual since her mother was a full-time housewife, but a note on the refrigerator revealed her mother had gone out to the store to buy some things for dinner.

Grabbing an apple to tide her over until then, Yume headed upstairs to her bedroom and started on her math homework. In the middle of one particularly difficult problem, the phone in the hallway began to ring. Yume ignored it, assuming her mother would answer it, but by the tenth ring, she remembered her mother wasn't home, so she gave up trying to solve the problem and went to answer it.

"Hello, Naegino residence."

"Yume?" a familiar voice replied. "It's me, Sora."

"Onee-chan!" Yume grinned, happy as always to hear from her older sister. "How are you? It's been a while since you called."

"Sorry about that. I've been so busy lately with Kaleido Stage's new show, but I finally feel like I have time to breathe now that it's over. The last show was today - well, I guess technically yesterday now, since it's almost one in the morning here. The show was a huge success."

"When are they not?" Yume teased. "Every show you star in does well."

"It's not just because of me," Sora modestly insisted. "Kaleido Stage has many world class performers." She paused. "In fact, that's why I'm calling. I want to talk to you about something."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Tell me, have you ever heard of a pairs skater by the name of Mikhail Vladimirov-san?"

Yume nodded, even though she knew Sora couldn't see her over the phone. "Hasegawa-sensei and I were just talking about him this afternoon. He and Tatiana Pekrovskaya-san are the reigning world champions for the third year in a row, and they are supposed to be attempting a quad throw jump in their short program tonight. Why do you ask?" Sora, despite being very supportive of Yume's skating, did not usually pay much attention to the world of figure skating, and especially not pairs, which Yume didn't compete in. How in the world did she even know of Mikhail Vladimirov?

"I can't tell you why just yet," Sora said mysteriously, "but you do plan to watch the competition tonight, don't you?"

"I haven't decided yet. I do have a lot of homework to do, since exams are coming up soon…"

"Yume, you _need_ to watch tonight," her sister insisted, surprising Yume with the intensity of her voice. "Even if you don't want to watch the whole competition, at least watch Mikhail Vladimirov-san and his partner in the short program."

"But why? I don't understand."

"Just trust me. I'll explain it all tomorrow."

Though Yume was beyond confused by Sora's strange request, she was definitely intrigued. "Okay, okay, I'll watch their program," she agreed. "Can't you at least give me a little hint of what this is all about, though?"

"I promised Kalos I wouldn't say anything until you were on board."

"Eido-san? You mean the owner of Kaleido Stage?" Confusion became downright bewilderment. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Oops, I've probably already said too much," Sora said, ignoring her question. "Just make sure to watch Vladimirov-san's skate tonight. This will all make more sense tomorrow."

"I hope so, because it makes no sense to me at all right now."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow then. I need to get to bed. Bye!"

"Bye."

As Yume placed the phone back in its cradle and sighed, not knowing what to make of Sora's vague phone call, she faintly heard the front door open and close downstairs, meaning her mother was finally back from the store. She headed downstairs to help.

"Oh, Yume, you're home," her mother said, smiling gratefully when Yume took one of the bulging canvas bags full of groceries out of her arms and headed to the kitchen. "I'm still not quite used to you coming home so early nowadays. How was practice?"

"It was good," Yume replied, placing the bag on the counter and helping her mother put the groceries away. "My coach gave me a lot of information on some tours and ice shows I may be able to join. I haven't had time to really look through it all yet, but it should really help me decide what I want to do after graduation."

Her mother frowned. "I assume most of these tours are based in North America, aren't they?"

"Yes, but a lot of them tour Asia and Europe, too," Yume assured her, knowing her mother wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of yet another one of her daughters leaving Japan. "Don't worry, okaa-san. I'll come visit as much as I possibly can."

"I know you will, sweetie. It's just that even though we want to support your dreams, sometimes your father and I wish our daughters could work a little closer to home. First, Sora moved to the States to join Kaleido Stage, and now it looks like you'll be following in her footsteps as well."

"Nothing's been definitely decided yet," Yume reminded her. "Speaking of onee-chan, though, I got a weird phone call from her right before you arrived."

"A weird phone call from Sora? What do you mean? Did it sound like something was wrong? Why was she calling so late, California time?"

Yume shook her head, and her mother breathed a sigh of relief. She was always worried they would one day get a call from Kaleido Stage, informing them that Sora had some kind of serious accident. "No, nothing like that. She was just really insistent that I watch the pairs competition tonight at the Olympics, that's all."

"That is a bit strange," her mother said, pulling out a large pan from one of the cabinets and starting on the stew they would be having for dinner. "Maybe she wants you to reconsider giving up your eligibility and thinks that watching the Olympics will reignite your desire to compete."

"I don't think so. You know onee-chan has never been very fond of competitions." Yume, without being asked, started chopping the vegetables. "She really wants me to watch this one pairs team, the reigning World Champions Vladimirov-san and Pekrovskaya-san, but I have no idea why. She won't tell me until tomorrow. The oddest thing, though, is that the owner of Kaleido Stage is somehow involved with it. He's the one who told onee-chan not to tell me anything."

"That definitely sounds mysterious. Well, are you going to watch? I thought you said you didn't feel up to watching the Olympics this year."

"I promised onee-chan I would, so I suppose I will."

"I'm sure Sora would understand if you decided not to, Yume. You shouldn't force yourself if you think it'll be too depressing."

"I'll be fine, okaa-san," Yume insisted, forcing a smile. "After all, it's just the pairs short program. It's not like it's the ladies' competition."

"If you say so."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, after Yume had finished all her homework for the night and ate dinner with her family, she turned on the TV in the living room and got ready to watch the pairs short programs as she had promised Sora. The broadcast was just wrapping up their coverage of the men's downhill skiing, but the figure skating competition was set to begin right after the next commercial break.

Her parents also joined her in front of the TV, although Yume got the distinct feeling that both of them were expecting her to breakdown in tears at any moment. She didn't deny it would be tough watching this year, knowing her Olympic dreams were over, but she thought her parents were being a bit ridiculous, constantly looking over at her out of the corner of their eyes even though the competition had yet to begin.

"I'm fine, otou-san, okaa-san," she finally said in the middle of the commercial break. "Really I am. I'm actually kind of looking forward to watching the competition tonight. I heard Vladimirov and Pekrovskaya may be attempting a quad throw jump, so it should be really amazing if they can pull it off."

"I still don't understand why Sora wanted you to watch tonight so badly," her mother said, frowning. "She had to know it might be difficult for you to watch this year's Olympics."

"I'm sure Sora must have a good reason, Midori," her father replied.

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow when she calls Yume back."

The commercial break ended just then, so they all fell silent as Takeshi Honda and Yuka Sato, two former champions turned broadcast analysts, began commenting on the night's line-up of pairs teams. Mikhail Vladimirov and Tatiana Pekrovskaya were set to skate third, so Yume wouldn't have to wait long to fulfill her promise to Sora.

The first two pairs to skate were a couple from the U.S. and the reigning Chinese silver medalists from the world championships, Vladimirov's and Pekrovskaya's biggest threat for the gold. The American pair, who Yume only vaguely recognized from other competitions, fell on their throw triple loop, but the Chinese duo skated their ambitious short program perfectly, easily earning the top marks out of all the pairs who had skated so far. If Vladimirov and Pekrovskaya wanted to beat them to be in the lead going into the free skate, they would have to do the same.

Yume, despite herself, felt her heart begin to beat a little faster as the favorites for the gold took the ice. They were skating to an Arabian-inspired number, and the pair certainly looked the part. Tatiana Pekrovskaya, a classic Russian beauty with white-gold hair and ice blue eyes, wore a belly-baring sequined top and a flimsy skirt, while her partner Mikhail Vladimirov's costume consisted of tight white leggings - to wear anything baggier would make it difficult to jump - and an intricately designed vest, also covered in sequins. Personally, Yume thought they looked a lot like Aladdin and Jasmine from the old Disney movie, but they pulled the look off very well.

Once the applause of the audience had cooled down, the current World Champions skated to the center of the rink and got into their opening pose, with Vladimirov standing with his arms circling his partner's torso, though not touching it, and Pekrovskaya looking down at the ice, her hands pressed together at chest-level as if in prayer. As the music started, Vladimirov began crouching downward, and Pekrovskaya seductively started moving her body like a genie coming out of the legendary lamp, turning around once her partner had risen back up to take his hand.

Yume had seen them perform the program a couple of times at other competitions throughout the year, so she knew that if they were going to try the quad throw jump, it would be near the beginning, replacing their already difficult throw triple loop. Since the rival Chinese pair had skated so well, however, Yume didn't think they would be so reckless as to try it in their short program.

She thought wrong.

As usual, in preparation for the jump, Pekrovskaya skated on the right back outside edge as if she was about to do the triple loop. Right before Vladimirov launched her in the air, however, she picked into the ice with her left toe pick, turning it into an easier toe loop. At least, it would have been easier had she stuck with three revolutions, but Yume's eyes widened in awe as the Russian skater completed an extra revolution in the air and landed effortlessly again on the right back outside edge, the first throw quad toe to be successfully performed in a short program at a major competition.

"Wow…" Yume breathed, glad that Sora had made her watch after all.

The rest of their program was just as magnificent, featuring imaginative lifts, perfectly timed side-by-side triple jumps and spins, an elegant death spiral, and a high-flying split triple twist. Presentation-wise, Yume had to admit something was lacking between the two, although their choreography was top notch, but their technical ability proved again why they were called the Ice Prince and Princess of pairs figure skating and easily put them in first place above the Chinese pair.

Though Yume had planned to stop watching once she had fulfilled her promise to Sora, after seeing Vladimirov's and Pekrovskaya's historic short program, she couldn't take her eyes off the TV screen.

Once again, she was sucked into the magic of the Olympics.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yume, despite staying up much later than usual watching the rest of the pairs competition, woke up early the next morning, anxious to talk to Sora and find out the big secret. Though it was only about seven in the morning in Tokyo, it was two in the afternoon in Cape Mary, so Yume didn't feel bad about calling her big sister instead of waiting for Sora to call her.

"Yume!" Sora said, surprised when she called. "Hey, I wasn't expecting you to be up this early. Isn't it only seven over there? I was going to wait until ten, Tokyo time, to call you back."

"You know me, onee-chan. I've always been an early riser. Had to be, to get ice time at the rink," Yume reminded her. "Are you busy?"

"No, not at all. We got the day off today, since the show closed last night, so Ken and I are spending the day with Hana."

"That sounds like fun."

"Yeah, it's nice to spend some time together as a family." Sora sighed wistfully. "Ken and I are always so busy at Kaleido Stage, we don't get to spend as much quality time with Hana as we would like, although she's become kind of like an adopted daughter to everybody else here. Anyway, she and Ken are playing on the trampoline in the backyard, so you picked a good time to call. I assume you watched Vladimirov-san's skate?"

"I did, and it was amazing!" Yume gushed. "They actually managed to land a throw quad toe loop! I couldn't believe my eyes."

"Then you enjoyed the performance?"

"I'll say!"

"Good," Sora said. "That's exactly what we were hoping to hear."

"We?" Yume's brow furrowed in confusion, and she sat down on the living room couch. "What do you mean by 'we'? Are you talking about Eido-san?" she asked, remembering their conversation yesterday. "What does he have to do with all this?"

"Yume, what would you say if I told you Kalos and I think you should be Mikhail Vladimirov-san's new pairs partner?"

"I'd say that was impossible," Yume answered without pause. "First off, Vladimirov-san isn't a member of Kaleido Stage, so neither you or Eido-san have any say in who his partner is. And secondly, he already has a partner, Tatiana Pekrovskaya-san, and from what I've heard on the grapevine, they're partners off the ice as well. He isn't looking for a new pairs partner."

On the other end of the line, Sora chuckled. "It sounds as if you're a little behind on the gossip."

"Onee-chan, what is going on?" Yume demanded to know. "What do you know that the rest of the skating world doesn't?"

"Before I tell you anything else, you have to answer my question, Yume. If you had the opportunity, would you like to be Vladimirov-san's new professional pairs partner?"

Yume rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Come on, this is crazy! I don't even skate pairs, onee-chan. I'm a singles skater."

"I know, but haven't you ever thought about trying it out?"

"Well…" To be honest, watching the pairs competition last night had made Yume wonder what it would be like to be a pairs skater. There was so much more two people could do on the ice instead of just one, and Yume imagined it felt almost like flying when a girl's partner lifted her over his head or threw her across the ice. "A little," she confessed.

"And if you did try it out, you would want a partner like Vladimirov-san, right?"

"Of course. He's the best there is, but that will never happen…"

"Never say never," Sora quipped. "Do you know who Vladimirov-san and Pekrovskaya-san's coach is?"

"Yes, it's May Wong-san," Yume replied, remembering seeing the famed coach sitting next to Pekrovskaya and Vladimirov in the "Kiss and Cry" area while waiting for their scores. "She used to be a performer at Kaleido Stage, didn't she, before she got injured and decided to go back to skating and coach?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Sora exclaimed, falling into her old habit of repeating things when she was really excited. "Exactly!"

"I'm afraid I still don't know where you're going with this, onee-chan."

Sora sighed. "Okay, I'll tell you the whole story, but you have to promise me you won't say anything until they make the official announcement."

"What announcement?"

After a brief pause, Sora said, "Tomorrow's free skate will be the last for Vladimirov-san and Pekrovskaya-san. They're breaking up."

"What?!"

"Only a few people know about this, Yume. Promise me you won't tell anyone until they make the official announcement after the closing ceremonies. Not your coach or anybody at the rink or even otou-san and okaa-san."

"I swear I won't tell another soul," Yume promised, crossing her heart, "but why are they breaking up? They were the perfect pair."

"Evidently not. To be honest, I don't even know the whole truth about what happened, but from what I've heard, it sounds as if Pekrovskaya-san was cheating on Vladimirov-san with another pairs skater. They got into a huge lovers' spat during practice at the Grand Prix final a few weeks ago."

"I think I heard something about that from one of the Japanese skaters in my skating club who went to the competition. She didn't know what they were saying, since they were yelling in Russian, but she said it looked pretty heated between them."

"Apparently it was, because the day after the big fight, May called Kalos and asked him if he would like to hire Vladimirov-san at Kaleido Stage once the Olympics were over. They decided to stay together until then for the chance at an Olympic medal, but they aren't going to this year's Worlds, and Vladimirov-san wants to turn professional, no doubt so that he won't have to compete against Pekrovskaya-san and her new boyfriend."

"Wow…" It was like a figure skating soap opera!

"And that's where you come in, Yume," Sora continued. "I know you don't have any experience as a pairs skater, but I showed Kalos the tape otou-san sent me of you at All-Japan, and he thinks the two of you would make an interesting team."

"Really? Even with all the mistakes I made in the long program?"

"All I know is that when I showed him the tape, he said, and I quote: 'There's something about that girl, something special.' He didn't even know you were my sister since he can't read or speak Japanese, so you can't say it was because of me."

That was going to be Yume's argument, but if that was really true… "Eido-san really liked me?"

"Well, it's always hard to tell with Kalos, but he watched hundreds of audition tapes from skaters all over the world, and yours was the only one he asked to watch twice. You must have done something right."

Yume felt her cheeks warm at the compliment. She couldn't believe the owner of Kaleido Stage, the man who had discovered her sister and gave Sora a chance despite the fact she missed the audition, actually liked her skating. "I'm…flabbergasted," she said after a long pause. "I don't know what to say."

"Just say that you'll come to Cape Mary and try out with Vladimirov-san. He and May will be here the second weekend of March, holding auditions."

"I don't know, onee-chan. Exams are coming up soon, and I'm sure I'll have to learn at least a few basic pairs moves before I can audition…"

"You can do it, Yume. Besides, it'll also give you the chance to audition for other companies while you're here. Please say you'll at least think about it?"

"Okay, I'll think about it," Yume promised.


	3. Starting Over

"So, let me see if I'm hearing you right. You want me to teach you pairs skating?"

It was the first practice since Sora's phone call. Yume still hadn't made a decision on whether or not she would accept the offer to audition to be Mikhail Vladimirov's new pairs partner, but she thought it would be beneficial to at least try a few pairs moves first to see how she liked them.

"Only a few basic movies," Yume reiterated to Coach Hasegawa. "You know, a couple of simple lifts and throw jumps. Nothing too difficult. You did skate pairs for a while when you were younger, right?"

"That was a long time ago, Naegino," Coach Hasegawa sighed, "and I was never that successful as a pairs skater. I don't know how much help I can be to you."

"It's fine, Hasegawa-sensei. Like I said, I only want to learn the basics for now. It's not like I'm planning to compete."

"Then why are you asking me to teach you pairs? Just for fun?"

"Something like that." Yume was positively dying to tell her long-time coach about the possibility of becoming the Olympic champion's new partner, but Vladimirov and Pekrovskaya hadn't made their announcement yet - the closing ceremony was still over a week away - and Yume promised Sora she wouldn't say anything until they did. "It's just that when I was watching the pairs competition at the Olympics, I saw how beautiful it was and wanted to see if I could do something like that," she explained. It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either.

"Okay, if you really want to do this, I suppose I can teach you a few pairs moves," Coach Hasegawa finally agreed. "First off, though, we need to find you a practice partner." She frowned, rubbing at her chin. "There aren't many pairs skaters that train here, and they're all busy training with their own partners. I suppose we could ask one of the men, but I'd prefer somebody with at least some experience with pairs skating." She began stroking around the ice, seemingly lost in thought. "Maybe that guy… They're taking a break because of entrance exams, but I've seen him skating here at the rink on the weekends…"

"Hasegawa-sensei?"

"Naegino, you start warming up your jumps," she ordered, stepping off the ice and slipping skate guards over the blades. "I'm going to talk to Takahashi-sensei."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yume wondered if Coach Hasegawa had managed to find her a partner. When she had returned yesterday to practice, all the coach would commit to was that she had "somebody in mind." However, she had called Yume later that night and asked her to come to the rink after school for practice, despite it being an "off" day, indicating the search had been successful.

When she arrived, Yume found a note on her locker from Coach Hasegawa, telling her to meet at one of the skating center's practice rooms instead of the rink as usual. Curious, Yume quickly changed into her usual practice clothes and headed to the room the coach had indicated.

"Hello?" Pushing open the door, Yume was surprised to find the room empty. She checked the note to make sure she had read the right number, but there was no mistake. With a shrug of her shoulders, she dumped her duffel bag beside the door, then began doing some light stretches to warm up. "Boy, this place brings back memories," she thought, looking up at the harness hanging above her.

The harness was used to teach beginning skaters how to turn during their jumps. Yume had long outgrown the need for one, but she smiled, recalling how much fun it had been when she first began learning to jump. To a little girl, being in the harness had felt almost like flying, and Yume remembered how she used to pretend to be a ice fairy while practicing. She giggled at the memory.

"Naegino, come over here and meet your new practice partner," Coach Hasegawa called out, breaking Yume from her reminiscing.

Yume turned to see the coach standing at the door, along with a teenage boy who looked about the same age as her. The boy was nice-looking - cute in an understated way - and wore the uniform of an exclusive boys' school. He looked vaguely familiar from around the rink, but Yume had never formally met him.

"This is Hiromasa Mihara-kun," the coach said, introducing him after Yume jogged over. "He's one of Takahashi-sensei's pupils, but he's been taking a break from skating for the past year or so to concentrate on the college entrance exams. And Mihara, this is Yume Naegino, the skater I was telling you about."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Naegino-san," Hiromasa said, bowing politely. There was a faint blush across the bridge of his nose. "I've been a fan of your skating for years. That backflip you did at All-Japan was amazing."

Yume thought she heard Coach Hasegawa faintly mutter, "Yeah, amazingly illegal," under her breath, but she ignored it, smiling at her new partner. "Thank you for being a fan, Mihara-kun, and I really appreciate you volunteering to be my practice partner. I know it must be an odd request."

"It's not a problem, as long as it doesn't take too much time away from my studies. Hasegawa-sensei says you're just interested in learning a few pairs moves?"

"Yeah. Nothing to difficult."

"Well, I'm a bit out of practice, I'm afraid, but I'll try my best," he said. "I hope I can be of some help."

"In that case, Mihara, go change out of that uniform and meet us back here in ten," Coach Hasegawa said. "Naegino, while he's doing that, let's get you into the harness."

Yume waited until Hiromasa had left for the locker room before she expressed her surprise. "The harness? We're not going to practice on the ice?"

"Of course not! Naegino, you may be one of the best female skaters in Japan, but pairs is a totally different ball game. You can't expect to go straight onto the ice and start doing throw jumps and lifts without first getting a handle on the moves off-ice. That would be suicidal! Now, get over here so I can buckle you in before Mihara gets back."

Yume sighed, but allowed Coach Hasegawa to buckle her into the harness without further complaint. She had to remind herself she was a beginner when it came to pairs skating. It wasn't simply a matter of doing the same elements she had mastered as a singles skater, except with a partner; she had to learn how to react to being thrown in the air and being lifted several meters above the ice.

Once Hiromasa returned, they got straight to work, practicing well into the afternoon, until Hiromasa said he needed to leave to go to cram school. By the time their first practice was over, Yume ached all over, feeling pains in places she never knew existed before. Who knew pairs skating was so strenuous? Her arms hurt from holding herself up during lifts, and, despite the mat on the floor, her hips were bruised from falling on the few clumsy attempts they made at a throw jump.

Despite all that, however, Yume had discovered one thing.

She was in love with pairs skating.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day of the announcement had finally come.

The night before, of course, had been the closing ceremonies at the Olympics. Vladimirov and Pekrovskaya, being gold medalists from the host country, naturally received a lot of press coverage during the show, but while they smiled and acted happy in front of the cameras, Yume knew it was all an act. By that time the next day, the Ice Prince and Princess of pairs figure skating would be no more.

Indeed, by the time Yume arrived at the rink for practice that day, it wasn't the spectacular closing ceremonies or Japan's sweep of the podium in the ladies' event that had tongues wagging, but that morning's press conference in St. Petersburg announcing that the new Olympic pairs champions were dissolving their five year partnership. Hiromasa, who had been a huge fan of the couple, was in disbelief about the whole thing.

"I can't believe Vladimirov-san and Pekrovskaya-san are no longer skating together," he sighed, joining Yume on the bench to lace up his skates. After a week of practicing primarily with the harness, with the occasional lesson at the rink to work on pairs spirals and spins, Coach Hasegawa was finally allowing them to start doing more complicated moves on the ice. "They were the perfect couple, you know?"

"Nobody's perfect, Mihara-kun," Yume reminded him, "not even the so-called Prince and Princess of the ice."

"Well, they were certainly close to perfection. I can't imagine what possessed Pekrovskaya-san to decide she wanted to skate with that other guy instead of sticking with Vladimirov-san. I thought the two of them were supposed to be dating."

Evidently, the couple had decided to remain vague about the circumstances leading up to their decision to call it quits. Out of respect for her possible future partner, Yume didn't say anything about Tatiana Pekrovskaya's alleged indiscretion with her new partner.

"I guess people just change over time," she said instead with a shrug, standing up and taking off her skate guards before stepping onto the freshly smoothed ice. "Come on, let's hit the ice."

"You know, Naegino-san, you don't seem too shocked about the break-up," Hiromasa commented as they joined Coach Hasegawa on the ice for their lesson. "It's almost like you expected it."

"Y-You think so?"

"Yes, I do. Since they were the couple who inspired you try pairs skating, I thought you would be more upset about the news of their break-up."

"Well, to be honest, I -"

Before Yume could tell him about her sister's tip-off about the break-up, though, Coach Hasegawa loudly clapped her hands together to get their attention, the sound echoing throughout the rink. "Okay, you two, enough gossiping," she said. "I know the Vladimirov/Pekrovskaya break-up is the most shocking thing to happen in pairs figure skating since the judging scandal at the Salt Lake City games, but we only have the ice until five, so let's get to work. Have you two stretched yet?"

Both Yume and Hiromasa nodded and took their spot in the center of the ice, waiting for their instructions.

"Okay, so it looks like you guys seem to have the spinning and spirals down," the coach said. "They're still a little awkward at times, but I think Naegino at least has the basic idea."

"Can we work on the throw toe loop again?" Yume suggested, anxious to get to work on the more difficult pairs moves now that her trying out to be Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner seemed to becoming more and more a reality.

"Look, I know you're itching to try the throws, but I want Mihara to build up his upper body a little more before we seriously work on throws and the more difficult lifts, Naegino," Coach Hasegawa lectured. "He's out of shape from being off the ice so long."

"I'm sorry," Hiromasa apologized, looking down at his skates and blushing.

Coach Hasegawa, in a rare moment of sympathy, patted his shoulder. "It's not your fault, kiddo. Not even the best pairs skaters in the world would be able to get back into competitive condition after only a couple of weeks back on the ice. Besides, there's no need to rush things. You two aren't planning to skate competitively, after all."

"But, Hasegawa-sensei, I need to know at least one throw jump by the end of two weeks," Yume blurted out, not realizing what she had said until she saw the looks of shock on her coach's and her partner's faces.

"You want to learn a throw jump in two weeks? That's ridiculous, Naegino. It takes months, sometimes even years before a skater gets a new jump, and you're not as young as you used to be. You're at a disadvantage starting pairs skating so late in your career."

"I know, but I can do it, I know I can! Just let us try."

"Why is it so important to you to learn a throw jump so soon, Naegino-san?" Hiromasa asked, looking over at Yume. Rather than the stern, disbelieving tone in Coach Hasegawa's voice, his was softer and more understanding. "I can tell you from experience that Hasegawa-sensei is right. When my first partner and I started skating together, it took us at least two months before we were able to land any kind of throw jump of value."

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult, Mihara-kun," Yume said, giving him an appreciative smile for at least being willing to hear her out. "In fact, you two are probably right about it being an unrealistic goal, but I have to at least try."

"But why? We aren't going to be competing or performing in any shows. Like Hasegawa-sensei said, we don't have to rush anything."

"Because…" Yume stopped short and bit down on her lip. She hadn't planned to tell anyone about her audition with Vladimirov until she had absolutely decided for sure that she going to go through with it, but wasn't her desire to learn a throw jump so quickly proof that she had already made her decision?

"Well, Naegino?" her coach prodded. "We don't have this ice all day. Answer Mihara's question."

Decided, Yume nodded and took a deep breath before continuing. "The truth is, I have an audition for the chance to be Mikhail Vladimirov-san's new professional partner," she announced.

While Yume expected her news to be met with some disbelief, she had not expected Coach Hasegawa and even sweet-natured Hiromasa to burst out laughing.

"I'm serious!" she insisted, which only made them laugh harder. "You can call Kalos Eido-san at Kaleido Stage if you don't believe me."

"Naegino, you have only been skating pairs for a little over a week now," her coach reminded her once their laughter died down. "Do you really expect us to believe that Mikhail Vladimirov-san, the new Olympic gold medalist, wants you, of all people, to try out to be his new partner? You're a great singles skater, don't get me wrong, and you even seem to have some natural aptitude for pairs, but there's no way a champion like him would be interested in such an inexperienced partner."

"You do have to admit the story is a bit unbelievable," Hiromasa agreed.

"I know it sounds crazy, but it is the truth," Yume said, wishing she had a letter or something on hand to prove it to them. "Mihara-kun, remember earlier how you said it seemed like I wasn't surprised by Vladimirov-san's and Pekrovskaya-san's announcement?"

He nodded. "It seemed like you somehow knew they were breaking up beforehand."

"That's because I did. I knew they were dissolving their partnership from the day after the short program in Moscow. My sister Sora, who is a performer at Kaleido Stage, told me, although she swore me to secrecy until they made the formal announcement."

"How did she find out, though?"

"Because Vladimirov-san signed a contract weeks ago to join Kaleido Stage after the Olympics, alone."

"I think I did read something about him joining Kaleido Stage in the article I read online about the press conference," Coach Hasegawa admitted. "It was his coach's idea, I think, since she used to perform there."

"Yes, May Wong-san," Yume said, nodding. "She used to be a wonderful trapeze artist until she injured her arm one too many times and decided to return back to skating and coach."

"What does all this have to do with your audition, though?"

"To be honest, I didn't quite believe it myself when onee-chan offered me the chance to try out," Yume confessed. "I'd never skated pairs before and only had modest success at major competitions, but evidently Eido-san - he's the owner of Kaleido Stage - liked what he saw on the tape onee-chan gave him to watch, because he told onee-chan to ask me to come to California next month to audition. That's why I need to learn a throw jump so quickly. If I can't even do that, there's no way I'll pass the audition."

Coach Hasegawa frowned. "Naegino, even if your story is true, it is very doubtful that you'll be able to land any kind of throw jump by your audition date, especially not a double or a triple. If that's what these lessons have been about, then I'm afraid I have to suggest we stop right now. You've been wasting my time and Mihara's time."

"No, please!" Yume begged, surprised when she actually felt tears in her eyes. "Onee-chan once learned a difficult maneuver called the Golden Phoenix in only a week, despite having absolutely no experience on the trapeze. If you and Mihara-kun give me the chance, I know I can do the same with the throw jump. I promise I'll work just as hard as she did. No, even harder! I know I'm being selfish, especially since Mihara-kun has his entrance exams coming up soon, but I have to at least try. If I don't audition, I know I'll regret it for the rest of my life, so please, please, if you could find it in your hearts to stick with me a little while long-"

"I'll do it," Hiromasa said, interrupting Yume before she could finish and shocking their coach.

"But what about your studies, Mihara?" Coach Hasegawa asked. "I thought you took a break from skating to focus on your entrance exams. How can you be so willing to help Naegino with her impossible goal so close to the test date? If - and that's a very big 'if' - we decide to go through with this, both of you will need to up your training back to competition level. That means practice every single day, before and after school, and overtime on Sundays."

"That is fine with me, Hasegawa-sensei. My studies are important to me, yes, but skating with Naegino-san these last couple of weeks has reminded me of how much I have missed skating." Looking over at Yume, he smiled. "If I can help her learn the throw jump before her audition, I would very much like to repay her for bringing a little joy back into my life.

"Mihara-kun…" Yume whispered, touched by his kind offer.

"Well, if that's the way you feel, I guess it's decided then," the coach said, though sounding none-too-confident of their chances to reach Yume's goal. "Okay, come on, stop dawdling, kids. We've got a helluva lot of work to do."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow."

Yume grimaced with each step she took as she made her way downstairs the next morning, her right hip thoroughly bruised from all the falls she had taken during practice the previous day. In her mind, however, the pain was a minor price to pay for their success. It took her and Hiromasa nearly fifty tries, but, by the end of practice, she had finally managed to land a throw single toe loop without falling or two-footing the landing.

"Yume, are you okay?" her mother asked, frowning when Yume entered the kitchen, practically limping.

Yume nodded, despite her pain. "I'm fine, okaa-san," she insisted, taking a seat at the kitchen table and pouring herself a bowl of cereal. "It's just some bruising. I'll survive."

"Are you sure it is okay to be pushing yourself so hard, so quickly? I know this audition is a great opportunity for you, but you aren't a pairs skater, honey." Her mother had asked the same thing the night before when she finally told them about Sora's offer.

"Onee-chan wasn't a trapeze artist when she accepted Layla-san's challenge to perform the Golden Phoenix after only a week of practice, yet look where she is now."

Her mother sighed, bringing a plate of eggs to the table for her father, who would be down shortly. "Yume, I think you're forgetting a vital part of that story," she reminded her. "Sora didn't actually perform the Golden Phoenix perfectly at the challenge. She wasn't able to grab the second bar to complete the move."

Yume shrugged, considering that part an insignificant detail. "It was still good enough for Layla-san to admit she had done the maneuver, though. Besides, I have a couple of weeks before the audition, not just one. If onee-chan can almost master an advanced maneuver like the Golden Phoenix despite only practicing for a week, I'm sure I can land the easiest throw triple jump by my audition. Speaking of which…" Glancing over at the digital clock on the stove, Yume took one final bite of her breakfast and stood up. "I need to head to the rink. I told Mihara-kun I would meet him for practice before school started."

"You're back on morning practices?"

"Okaa-san, we have to practice every chance we can if we want to land the jump in time," Yume said, grabbing her book bag, boxed lunch, and duffel bag containing her gym and practice clothes. "That reminds me, I'll probably be in later than usual tonight, so don't worry about me."

"Just promise me you won't work yourself _too_ hard. I don't want to receive a call from the hospital, saying that you had your head cut open with a blade like that one poor little Russian skater back in the nineties."

"Don't worry, okaa-san. I won't end up like Elena Berezhnaya-san," she promised. "Bye!"

"Bye! Be careful!"

After changing into her shoes, Yume left, walking down to the bus stop at the end of her street to catch the five-forty-five bus to the rink. It had been quite a few weeks since she had last taken that particular bus, and the driver greeted her warmly as she boarded.

"Good to see you back, Naegino-san," he said as she took her usual seat right behind him. "Some of us were beginning to worry you gave up your skating after what happened back at All-Japan."

Yume smiled. "Oh, no, I could never give up my skating. It was just time for a little change."

"Ah, I see."

The rest of the short ride to the rink, Yume studied a video Coach Hasegawa had made of yesterday's practice on her cell phone. She couldn't help but grimace every time she saw herself fall to the ice, her sore hip aching in memory, but she was beginning to see what she was doing wrong. Whenever Hiromasa moved to throw her across the ice, she briefly hesitated, her body tensing up instead of relaxing as it should. Granted, Hiromasa rarely threw her high enough in the air, due to his lack of intense weight training during his year off from skating, but Yume had to admit her hesitation was the main reason why they had only been able to land one clean jump so far.

Excited to get back to work now that she knew what she needed to work on, Yume got off the bus at the ice rink and headed to the girls' locker room, where she quickly changed out of her high school uniform and into her normal practice attire of black leggings and a Kaleido Stage sweatshirt Sora had sent her one year for her birthday. She pulled her shoulder-length brown hair back into a simple ponytail, then laced up her skates.

When she stepped onto the ice, Yume noticed she was the first one to arrive. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity by practicing some of her singles jumps, which she had been ignoring in favor of learning the pairs elements. She focused particularly on the triple toe loop, mentally comparing the differences between performing the jump by herself and with a partner and trying to figure out how to modify her technique on the individual jump to the throw. So intent was she on her jumps, she didn't even realize when her coach and partner finally arrived until she heard Hiromasa clapping for her as she performed her all-time favorite, but illegal, move, the one-foot backflip.

Yume blushed and skated over the boards, where Coach Hasegawa and Hiromasa were waiting.

"That was amazing, Naegino-san," Hiromasa gushed. "Even more spectacular than the one you did at All-Japan. Where did you learn to do that?"

"I used to be a gymnast," Yume explained, taking the bottled water he handed her. She took a sip, then placed the bottle on the boards for easy access later. "I actually started gymnastics before skating, hoping to follow in onee-chan's footsteps, but when I was twelve, my parents thought it was too much for me to compete in both, so I decided to stick with figure skating."

"Do you miss it? Gymnastics?"

Yume shrugged. "Sometimes, but that's the great thing about joining Kaleido Stage if I pass the audition. I'll be able to combine my love of skating and gymnastics."

"Well, there's no way you're going to pass that audition if we don't get to work," Coach Hasegawa reminded her. "I want the two of you to warm up with a couple of pairs spins, then we'll get back to work on the throw."

"Okay."

Following the coach's orders, Yume and Hiromasa skated to the center of the ice and practiced their spinning until Hiromasa, who had not had the chance to warm up, felt ready to move onto the jumping portion of their practice. They then skated back over to Coach Hasegawa for their next set of instructions.

"Okay, you two managed to land one jump yesterday, right at the end of practice. More than likely, that was a fluke, so before we start adding in an extra revolution, I want you to land ten clean jumps in a row, Naegino. There will be no exceptions," she said when Yume opened her mouth to protest. "I know you're in a hurry to learn the triple, but you are not going to get anywhere until you have a firm foundation in the basics. Understand?"

Yume sighed, but nodded. Although she was anxious to up the difficulty on the jump, she knew Coach Hasegawa was right. There was no way she would be able to land a double, much less a triple, until she had a consistent single to build on. It was the same as when she first started skating, and she had to remind herself yet again that, in a way, she was starting over again, a complete novice when it came to skating with a partner.

"Let's see what you can do, then!" the coach said, clapping her hands together in her usual manner.

Hiromasa held out his hand, which Yume took, and the two of them began skating around the rink, building up speed for their first attempt at the jump. When both were ready, they nodded to each other and broke apart, Hiromasa positioning himself behind Yume and placing his hands on her waist. Yume mentally told herself not to tense up as she tapped into the ice with her toe pick and Hiromasa threw her up, but her body decided to do the exact opposite and she crashed on the ice, more than likely adding yet another bruise to her already extensive collection.

"Sorry, Naegino-san," Hiromasa apologized as he helped Yume stand back up. "I didn't throw you high enough."

Yume shook her head. "It was my fault. I tensed up instead of going into the jump confidently."

"Try again?"

She nodded, and they started on their second attempt, which was not much more successful than the first. That time, however, it was solely Yume's fault. Hiromasa had given her plenty of height on the lift-off, yet Yume's body still tensed up.

The same thing happened on the next three jumps. Yume didn't understand. She knew what she had to do to fix the jump, but her body didn't seem to want to cooperate for some reason.

"Why can't I relax on the lift-off?" she asked herself on the ice after the fifth failed jump. "Why do I always tense up?"

Hiromasa, who once again skated over to help her off the ice, overheard her and sighed. "It's me, Naegino-san," he said, taking Yume's hand and pulling her up. "I'm not strong enough yet, therefore, you don't feel safe when I throw you. I'm the problem, not you."

"Mihara-kun, don't say that! You've been a great partner."

"But I'm so out of practice. If you were skating with someone like Vladimirov-san, I'm sure you could land ten jumps easily."

"I don't know about that," Yume muttered. As nice as it was for Hiromasa to want to shoulder some of the blame, she knew she was the reason why they were not landing successful jumps. "Come on, let's try it again."

After three more tries, however, Yume still hadn't landed a jump, although she did get close on one. Unfortunately, she two-footed it, and in accordance to Coach Hasegawa's "no exceptions" rule, the jump was no better than a fall in her eyes. The coach called them back over after the third jump, her lips pressed together in a straight line across her face.

"Naegino, you have got to loosen up out there," the coach lectured as the two of them drank some water from the bottles they had left on the boards. "You're tenser than a ninth grader taking her high school entrance exams."

"I'm trying, Hasegawa-sensei, but my body doesn't want to listen to me."

"Well, maybe you should stop thinking too much and let your body do what it is supposed to do."

"What do you mean?" Yume asked, twisting the cap back on her bottle.

"I mean, you are thinking too much when you're going into the jump. You had the same problem with the triple axel. You concentrate so hard on landing the jump that your body tenses up, you second-guess yourself, and you fall. Instead, you should just let it come naturally to you.

"To put it another way, think of yourself as a boy who has a huge crush on the prettiest girl in school. Now, he -"

"Why do I have to be a boy? Can't I be a girl with a crush on the cutest guy in school?"

"Sure, fine, I forgot you young girls today are a lot bolder than we used to be," the coach said with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, back to my analogy. Say that this guy has no idea you're alive, so you have to introduce yourself to get his attention. Chances are, you're gonna rehearse the scene over and over in your head before you go over to talk to him, right?"

"Sure, I guess." Yume had never had much interest in boys before, her life dedicated primarily to her skating, but plenty of her classmates did, and it seemed like something they would do.

"The problem with that is, whenever you do find the courage to finally talk to him, you end up sounding really awkward and fake, like a bad actor in a play. That's what your jumping is like right now, when it should be easy and natural, like a simple 'Hello, my name is Yume," would have done just fine in my example. Do you get what I'm saying, Naegino?"

"I think so."

"Good, now let's try again. Mihara, remember to give her enough height, okay?"

Hiromasa nodded. "Hai!"

Taking the coach's advice, Yume tried not to think at all during their next attempt. In a way, it worked, since she didn't tense up when Hiromasa lifted her off the ice, but she was also so relaxed that she had no control over the landing and fell again.

It took another three tries before Yume found the balance between the two extremes, but when she finally did, it amazed her how easy it was to complete the required ten jumps in a row. Even Coach Hasegawa seemed surprised when they did it, probably expecting it would take a couple of more practices before they could pull it off with any kind of consistency.

"Good work, good work," the coach said, clapping when Yume landed her tenth straight throw toe loop. "Very good work."

"Does that mean we can work on the double now?" Yume asked.

Coach Hasegawa began to nod, but stopped when she looked down at her watch. "Let's save that for this afternoon, Naegino. It's almost time for you guys to head to school. Go get dressed; practice is over. I'll see you again after school, three-thirty sharp."


	4. Unexpected Surprises

Over the next couple of weeks leading up to her audition date, Yume practiced almost as much as she did during the months before All-Japan and her chance at an Olympic berth. Whenever she and Hiromasa could fit it into their schedules, they practiced, learning the throw double toe a few days after they perfected the single and the throw triple toe only a couple of days after that. Coach Hasegawa couldn't believe the progress they made in such a short time.

Though Yume wanted to move onto a more difficult throw jump after learning the toe loop, Coach Hasegawa wisely suggested that they focus on lifts and twists for the remaining few days until her trip to California to give her a more well-rounded arsenal of pairs moves. By the end of her last practice before the big day, Yume felt confident she had a firm grasp of the basics. She wished she could have had more time to prepare, but at least she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself at the audition due to her lack of pairs experience.

As she packed for her trip the night before, Yume wondered exactly what that audition would entail. Sora hadn't told her to prepare anything, but she decided to bring along her costumes and music for her competitive short program and free skate, as well as one of her favorite exhibition numbers, just in case. Luckily, Coach Hasegawa had insisted that she perform at least one of those programs once a day to keep up her singles' skills, so they were still fresh in her mind.

"Yume, have you finished packing yet?" her mother asked, knocking on her bedroom door and interrupting Yume's thoughts.

"Yeah, almost." After folding and placing her favorite hoodie in her big suitcase, Yume zipped it up and went to answer the door. "Do you need something, okaa-san?"

Her mother shook her head. "No, I just wanted to remind you to go to bed early tonight. You do have a six o'clock flight tomorrow, after all, and it will be a long flight."

"I know, and I will. I was just about to get ready for bed."

"Okay, then. Goodnight."

With that, her mother left, and, as promised, Yume got ready for bed, changing into a pair of pajama pants paired with a matching tank top and brushing her teeth. When she snuggled underneath the covers, however, sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. It almost seemed like the night before a big competition, and she supposed in a way, it was. For the most part, she had been able to keep her nerves under control, but now that the audition was only two days away, they were back with a vengeance.

"Am I crazy to be doing this?" she asked aloud to Snowflake, a white teddy bear dressed in a cute skating outfit that she had slept with for as long as she could remember. Most people would probably think that she was too old to be sleeping with a stuffed animal, but Snowflake was special, since she was the first gift a fan had ever thrown on the ice for her. "I mean, logically, there's no way I'm actually going to be chosen to be Vladimirov-san's new partner. He and Pekrovskaya-san were the most technically perfect pairs team ever in the history of pairs figure skating, able to pull off throw quad toes like they were nothing. He's not going to want to pair up with a complete beginner with only one throw jump in her arsenal."

 _But onee-chan and Eido-san obviously saw something in me that they liked,_ a voice reminded her from the back of her mind. _I don't know what it is, but they wouldn't have invited me to try out to be Pekrovskaya-san's replacement if they didn't think I had a chance._

Sighing, Yume rolled onto her side, hugged Snowflake close, and closed her eyes, somehow eventually falling asleep.

The next morning, she woke up even earlier than she normally did when she had morning practice. Yume finished packing up her toiletries and her carry-on bag and got dressed, bringing her suitcase and duffel bag downstairs with her when she went down to breakfast. Her parents were both already up as well, her mother making omelets while her dad read the Saturday paper at the breakfast table. Both looked incredibly tired.

"You didn't have to wake up so early, you know," Yume said after she set her luggage by the front door and sat down at the table across from her father. "I could have caught a taxi to the airport."

Her mother shook her head, bringing two plates to the table. Her father already had one, so she placed one plate in front of Yume, then sat down and took the other for herself. "Nonsense. Of course we want to see you off, Yume. After all, this is the first time you're traveling alone without either Hasegawa-sensei or one of us for company." Though her parents had wanted to come along with her to California to see Sora and her family, since Yume was only staying for a day so she would be back in time for school on Monday, it wasn't practical.

Yume detected a note of worry of her mother's voice, which she tried to assuage by giving her mother a confident smile. "Okaa-san, I'll be okay," she assured her. "I've been to Cape Mary plenty of times with you and otou-san, so I know my way around. Besides, onee-chan was only sixteen when she moved to the U.S. by herself, and she had only visited once before with her mom and dad, but she managed just fine." Biologically, Sora was actually a distant cousin, but Yume's parents had adopted her after her mother and father died in a car crash when Sora was only a little girl. Yume rarely made the distinction between them, however, thinking of Sora as truly her big sister.

"Yume has a point, Midori," her father said, folding down his paper and setting it aside. "She's not our little girl anymore. She's grown up into a beautiful young woman, ready to take on the world."

"I don't know about that, otou-san…"

"Feeling nervous about the audition?"

"A little," she confessed, taking a bite of her omelet. "I'm sure the competition will be tough, especially since I've only been skating pairs for a few weeks now. The other girls trying out have probably been skating with a partner for years. It's a big disadvantage for me."

"But Sora wouldn't have invited you to come if she didn't think you had a chance, right?" Yume's mother asked.

"That's what I keep telling myself, but…" Yume shook her head, forcing the pessimistic thought from her mind. If she didn't stop thinking like that, she definitely wouldn't pass the audition. "Anyway, even if Vladimirov-san doesn't pick me to be his new partner, it'll be nice to see onee-chan, Ken-san, and Hana-chan again, at least for a little while."

"Did you remember to pack those toys I left out on your bed? I thought Hana-chan might like some of her mother's and aunt's old dolls."

"They're all packed, and I'll be certain to give it to her."

"Good."

"Well, we should probably head to the airport now," her father announced after he finished his breakfast. He stood up and started putting on his jacket, which he had hung on the back of his chair while he ate. "You two ready?"

Yume had only finished about a third of her omelet, but, while it was delicious, her stomach was far too nervous to eat anymore. She nodded and helped her mother clean up the kitchen. Once that was done, they got in the car and headed to Tokyo International Airport.

"Did you remember to bring your passport and ticket?" her mother asked as they made their way to her airline's check-in desk.

Yume patted the outside of her denim jacket, feeling the outline of her airline ticket and passport in her inside pocket. "Yes, okaa-san. Right here."

"And did you bring some gum? You know your ears have a tendency pop when you ride on a plane."

"Yes, I've got gum."

"What about your skates? Where are they?"

"In my suitcase."

"Midori, Yume has everything under control," her father said before her mother could ask any more well-intentioned, if slightly annoying, questions. "She'll be fine. She's already a world traveler thanks to her skating."

"I know," her mother sighed. "It's a mother's job to worry about her children, though, especially her baby."

"I'll call you as soon as I get there, okaa-san," Yume promised, knowing it would make her mother feel better. "Oh, there it is." She nodded her head toward her airline's desk.

"I guess it's time we said our goodbyes, then." Stopping just before they reached the desk, her father set down her suitcase, which he had been carrying, and gave Yume a hug. "Goodbye and good luck, sweetheart. Do your best out there, okay?

"I'll certainly try."

"Also, tell Sora we miss her, and give Hana-chan a big kiss from me," her mother added, also giving Yume a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I will, okaa-san." Once her mother had let go of her, Yume pulled out her ticket and passport and grabbed her suitcase. "This is it, then, I guess. I'll see you tomorrow at nine."

"We'll be here. Bye, Yume."

"Bye!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Yume!"

There was no missing Sora as Yume headed to the luggage claim to pick up her suitcase. Her big sister was standing off to the side of the carousel, waving her hands high above her head and shouting Yume's name.

Yume smiled and returned the wave one-handedly, thinking that even at thirty-four years old, Sora was still young at heart. It helped that she didn't exactly look like a woman in her mid-thirties. Eighteen years of performing at Kaleido Stage had kept her in fantastic shape, and she still had the body of a teenager.

As Yume walked over to join Sora after grabbing her suitcase from the carousel, however, she did notice two major changes in her sister. The first one was that after years of wearing her raspberry-colored hair shoulder-length, Sora had it styled into a chic modern bob that came up to her chin, her bangs grown out and swept to the side. It gave her a slightly more mature look, but Yume thought it suited her rather well.

The second, and the most surprising, change was the small bulge Yume detected underneath her sister's T-shirt, barely even noticeable to someone who hadn't known Sora's normal physique. Sora had always had a flat stomach due to the nature of her work, so Yume's eyes widened in shock when she realized what the weight gain must mean.

"You're pregnant?"

Sora laughed. "Nice greeting, little sis," she said, giving Yume a hug. "It's good to see you, too."

Yume blushed, realizing how rude she must have sounded. "Sorry, of course I'm happy to see you again, onee-chan," she corrected. "It's just…a bit of a shock. You never mentioned that you and Ken-san were having a another baby."

"Well, we wanted to wait until we could tell everybody together, in person. In fact, we were going to announce the news when we went to see you skate at All-Japan, but since Hana got sick and we couldn't make it…"

"You should have told us anyway! This is big news!"

"Okaa-san didn't tell me she was pregnant with you until a couple of days before you were born," Sora reminded her. "Granted, I wasn't going to wait _that_ long, but, oh, well. It looks like the cat's out of the bag now. Just let me be the one to tell okaa-san and otou-san, okay?"

"Okay," Yume agreed, giving her sister another hug. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you and Ken-san." Looking around, Yume noticed for the first time that the father-to-be hadn't come. "Speaking of Ken-san, where is he?"

"At home with Hana. It is after eleven here, after all."

"Oh, right. I forgot." To Yume, it was only four o'clock in the afternoon, but in California, it wasn't even Saturday yet. It was still Friday night. "I'm sorry I made you come pick me up so late at night."

"It's not a problem. Since you're only staying for a day, your sleep schedule shouldn't be too messed up by coming in this late. Auditions don't start until noon, so you'll be able to get a good morning's rest, when you would normally be sleeping in Tokyo, before then."

"What about you, though? Don't you need to get up early to train?"

"I've been cutting down on my training because of the pregnancy," she explained, taking Yume's duffel bag and heading toward the exit. Yume followed behind her with the heavier suitcase. "Actually, it shouldn't be too much longer before I'll have to cut back completely. I'm already out of the shows for the rest of the year. The show we finished the day I called you about the auditions was my last performance for a while."

"Oh." Yume was a bit disappointed to hear that. She had been looking forward to being able to see Sora perform whenever she wanted if by some miracle she was chosen to be Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner at Kaleido Stage. "Who's taking your place, then?" she asked. "Rosetta-san?"

Rosetta Passel, the former diabolo-champion-turned-trapeze-artist, was another one of Yume's idols. In fact, an autographed poster Rosetta had given Yume when she was a little girl was still among her most prized possessions.

"Actually…"

"What?"

By then, they had reached Sora's car in the airport parking lot. Sora popped open the hood and put the duffel bag inside.

"I probably shouldn't say anything," Sora said at last in response to Yume's question. "Kalos hasn't made the announcement yet."

"Onee-chan, don't go all mysterious again," Yume scolded with a roll of her eyes as she set down her suitcase beside the duffel bag. "It drives me crazy when you do that."

"Okay, get in the car and I'll tell you."

Doing as she was told, Yume got in on the passenger side and waited for Sora to join her. It wasn't until they were on the road that Sora finally spilled the beans about the next show.

"Right now, the recent additions to the cast are putting on _The Little Mermaid_ ," she explained. "It will probably run for a couple of months, since the show is always a big draw for us, but once Vladimirov-san finds his new partner, Kalos wants to put on an ice show to show them off."

"You mean not only is Kaleido Stage looking for a new partner for Vladimirov-san, they're looking for the star of their next show?" Yume asked, unable to hide her shock.

"Yes, exactly."

Hearing that, Yume almost wished Sora hadn't told her. It was one thing just to audition to become Mikhail Vladimirov's new pairs partner, but knowing that if she was chosen, she would immediately be given a starring role in the next show… Her stomach flip-flopped.

What's wrong, Yume?" Sora asked, glancing over at her. "You look like I do whenever I have morning sickness."

"I don't know if I can do this, onee-chan," Yume confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Do what?"

She sighed, resting her forehead against the passenger side window and letting the scenery of Cape Mary pass her by like a blur. "This whole thing. I mean, I only know one throw jump, my pair spins are only level 2 at best, and I only learned the split double twist a couple of days ago. I don't even know why I came. There's no way I'm going to win this audition."

"Well, you certainly won't with that attitude," Sora teased. "Don't worry about it so much. I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"I'm being realistic. I'm not like you, onee-chan. When you and Wong-san were competing to co-star with Oswald-san in Dracula, you learned how to skate in a matter of days, but it hasn't been like that for me. No matter how many hours Mihara-san and I practiced over these last few weeks, I only managed to learn the bare basics."

"Maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing."

Turning her head toward her older sister, Yume gave Sora a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Pushing yourself to learn difficult moves without a firm grasp on the basics isn't exactly the best way to go about these sorts of things. In fact, I remember Ken often telling me that the fact that I never learned the basics on the trapeze was my weak spot. By jumping immediately into trying difficult maneuvers, I trained the wrong muscles and put my body in serious jeopardy. It was pure luck that I never experienced any life-threatening injuries."

"But, still, even without the basics, you're amazing. I wish I had that kind of talent."

Sora blushed. "Thank you for saying so, Yume, but, seriously, you shouldn't feel like you have to do everything like I did. Rosetta is a much better role model. When she decided to become a trapeze artist, she trained for it the right way, and look how amazing she's become. In fact, she's technically better than I am _because_ she learned the basics first, so don't feel discouraged just because you're not as technically advanced as some of the other skaters that will be trying out tomorrow. I'm sure that once you've had some more training, you'll be just as good a pairs skater as any of them."

"That doesn't exactly help me right now," Yume pointed out with a sigh. "An Olympic champion pairs skater like Vladimirov-san isn't going to want to skate with a beginner like me."

"You never know until you try. That's what I always say." Sora pulled into the driveway in front of her house and turned off the engine. "Well, we're here," she announced as they got out of the car and pulled out Yume's luggage from the trunk. "Welcome to Casa Robbins. Ken and Hana are probably asleep already, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait until morning to see them. Are you hungry? It's getting close to dinner time in Tokyo, isn't it?"

Following Sora into the house, Yume shook her head. Even if she was hungry, the way her stomach kept somersaulting, she doubted she would be able to keep it down. "No, not really."

"You sure? I can warm up the chicken we had for dinner if you want."

"I'll be fine. You're probably exhausted, though. You should go to bed, onee-chan. If I get hungry later, I can always warm up the chicken myself."

Sora stifled a yawn. "I am pretty tired," she admitted. "If you're sure you'll be all right, I'll go get some sleep. You remember where the guest room is, right?"

"Upstairs, third door on the left?"

"Right. Try not to go to sleep too late, okay? We'll wake you up around ten-thirty."

"I won't," Yume promised. "Goodnight, onee-chan."

"Goodnight."

Sora went upstairs, leaving Yume, who was still wide awake, to her own devices. Remembering her promise to her mom, Yume pulled her cell phone out of her duffel bag and called home. Her mother picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, okaa-san, it's me," Yume said, plopping down on the couch in the living room. "Onee-chan and I just got in from the airport."

"So you got there okay? Good. How was the flight?"

"Long. Boring. The usual."

"And Sora? She isn't training too hard, is she?"

"Actually, onee-chan isn't train-" Yume stopped herself just in time, remembering she had promised Sora that she would let her tell their parents about the upcoming addition to the family. "Onee-chan looks really great," she said instead. "She's practically glowing."

"Good." Luckily, her mother didn't seem to catch the hidden truth in her words. "Can I say hello to her for a second?"

"She just went up to bed a couple of minutes ago. It is almost midnight over here, after all. In fact, I haven't even seen Ken-san and Hana-chan yet. They were asleep by the time we got home."

"Oh, right. Well, don't bother waking her up. I'm sure she has a busy day tomorrow. You both have a big day ahead."

"Yeah, I do," Yume sighed, reminded of the next day's audition.

"You don't sound very enthusiastic about it, Yume," her mother commented. "Is something bothering you?"

"Just pre-audition jitters, I guess. Onee-chan told me on the drive to her house that whoever Vladimirov-san chooses as his new partner will be his co-star in Kaleido Stage's next show."

"Co-star? I thought Sora usually was the lead in all of Kaleido Stage's shows."

"Normally, she is, but Eido-san wants to put on ice show to show Vladimirov-san and his new partner off," Yume explained. "It's probably the reason why Vladimirov-san decided to join Kaleido Stage in the first place. After all, he doesn't have much of an acrobatic background, so unless Kaleido Stage puts on at least one ice show a year, it doesn't make much sense for him to join."

"I wonder if that was the reason why Sora and Eido-san wanted you to audition…"

Confused, Yume's brows furrowed together. "What do you mean?"

"Your background in gymnastics. You used to be quite the gifted gymnast before you decided to focus solely on figure skating," her mother reminded her.

"The key phrase being 'used to.' It's been over five years since I trained seriously."

"Well, whatever the reason why you were invited to try out, I'm sure you'll do your best, Yume. Your father and I are very proud of you. Remember that, not matter what happens tomorrow, okay?"

Yume smiled, feeling a little better. At least her stomach had settled down some. "I will. Thank you, okaa-san."

They chatted for a little while longer until her mother had to go start dinner. By that time, Yume was feeling a bit hungry herself, so after saying goodbye, she warmed up the leftover chicken she found in Sora's refrigerator, fixed herself a small salad, and watched some late night TV while she ate. She then took a long, relaxing bath and finally went to bed.

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As promised, Yume got a ten-thirty wake-up call the next morning, delivered by an adorable blonde five-year-old in pigtails, who decided the best way to wake her poor aunt up from a deep and satisfying sleep was by jumping on Yume's bed and shaking her until Yume finally opened her eyes.

"Aunt Yume! Aunt Yume! Aunt Yume! Aunt Yume!"

Groaning, Yume slowly lifted her head off her pillow and glared at her niece. "Hana-chan, what do you think you're doing?"

"Waking you up!" Hana exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Mama sent me up here!"

"I always knew onee-chan had a dark side somewhere underneath that good girl exterior," Yume muttered, sitting fully up. She couldn't stay mad at Hana for long, though, her lips breaking into a smile as soon as Hana grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her toward the door. "Hey, hey, where's the fire?"

"Huh?"

"What's the rush?" Yume clarified, tossing her blanket aside and throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "I'm not even dressed yet."

"Mama's fixing breakfast, but she won't let us have any until you come downstairs."

"Oh, I see. I bet you must be hungry then."

Hana solemnly nodded. "Starving."

"Well, why don't you go downstairs and let me get dressed? I promise I'll be down as soon as possible."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay, but you better not take too long, Aunt Yume," Hana threatened with a wag of her finger before heading back downstairs.

Yume chuckled and quickly got dressed in jeans, T-shirt, and her hoodie. She then went down to the kitchen, following the smell of freshly made muffins she detected on her way down the stairs. Everybody else was already up and sitting at the table when she joined them.

"Good morning," Yume said in English, taking a seat in the empty chair across from her brother-in-law. While Ken had become quite fluent in Japanese over the years, Yume figured it was as good a time as any to practice her rusty English. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"No, not at all, Yume," Ken assured her, taking her cue and answering in his native language. "It's great to see you again. Did you sleep okay?"

"For the most part, yes. It took me awhile to go to sleep, but once I did, I was out like a…fog? That is the correct expression, right?"

Everyone at the table laughed. "I think you mean 'out like a log,' Yume," Sora corrected, passing Yume the plate of muffins she had smelled earlier. "A fog is the low-lying clouds that sometime appear in the morning."

"I was close at least," Yume said, grinning. She took two muffins off the plate and passed the rest to Hana, who looked hungry enough to eat the whole thing, plate and all. "Besides, it's been a while since I had a chance to practice my English conversation skills, so cut me some slack."

"Well, I, for one, think your English sounds pretty good for being out of practice."

"Thanks, Sora. I just hope Mr. Vladimirov speaks English, too. Does he?"

Sora shrugged. "I actually don't know. I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. Ken, have you?"

"Not really. I saw him a couple of times with May and Jean discussing the preparations for the audition, but it seemed like they were doing most of the talking," he said. "Still, since May is his coach, he must speak English, right? I don't think May speaks Russian, and I doubt Mr. Vladimirov speaks Chinese."

"Not necessarily," Yume replied with a slight frown. "Many top-level skaters go to other countries to find the best coaches. It's not totally unheard of for skaters and coaches, or even pairs partners, to speak different languages. As long as they share the language of skating, that's all that really matters."

"In that case, you should be fine, then. Right?"

"I hope so, Sora." Yume took a large bite of her muffin, her nerves having the opposite effect on her appetite that morning than the night before. "By the way, do either of you know what kind of audition they're having? I brought some music and a couple of my costumes just in case, but I don't want to drag them over to Kaleido Stage if they aren't necessary."

"All you need is your skates," Sora informed her. "You won't be performing any programs. That was what the tape was for."

"So Mr. Vladimirov saw my performance at All-Japan?" Yume sighed, wishing that Sora had chosen a different recording to submit as her application. She had hoped to be able to skate again live so he could see that she could skate a clean program. "Now I know I won't pass the audition."

"Don't say that, Yume. You made a couple of mistakes at the beginning, but the rest of the program was great. Kalos saw something special in you, after all."

"But it isn't Mr. Eido I need to impress. Mikhail Vladimirov is known for his technical ability. That's why he and Miss Pekrovskaya were called the Ice Prince and Princess of pairs figure skating."

"Ice Prince or not, Mr. Vladimirov doesn't necessarily have all the say in who will be his new partner. He does have final approval, of course, but Kalos and May hold a lot of sway in deciding who he will choose. Just skate and don't worry so much about the technical side of things."

"If you say so," Yume said, but she was none-too-confident.


	5. New Friends And Foes

After breakfast was over, Sora and Yume headed over to Kaleido Stage for the auditions. If Yume was nervous before, it expanded into full blown panic when they arrived and Sora showed her to the girls' dressing room. A few of the other girls who were auditioning were already there getting dressed, and it certainly didn't help her nerves in the least that she recognized a couple of them from various competitions. They weren't top-level, big name stars, but they did have plenty of experience, which was more than Yume could say for herself.

"You'll be fine," Sora said, as if somehow reading her mind. "Just do your best, okay?"

Yume sighed heavily. That was easier said than done. "Well, I'll try…"

"Yume, stop being so pessimistic. Now, are you going to be fine here by yourself? I promised the girl playing the Little Mermaid that I would watch today's show and give her some pointers, but if you would rather me stay here…"

Yume shook her head. To be honest, it probably would be easier to skate without Sora watching her. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about disappointing her big sister. "Go to the show," Yume said, forcing a somewhat confident smile on her face. "I'll be okay by myself."

"Are you sure? Okay, I'll try to get back as soon as I can," Sora promised, giving Yume a hug. "Now, go break a leg!"

Once Sora had left, Yume took a seat at one of the vacant vanity tables and started getting ready. Luckily, instead of her usual everyday practice clothes, she had decided to bring one of the dresses she normally wore during practices at competition, though, looking at some of the other girls, Yume still felt underdressed. In particular, the girl at the vanity beside her, who Yume vaguely recognized as a French pairs skater who had recently parted ways with her former partner, had on full costume, hair, and make-up.

"That's a cute dress," the French girl said in a haughty tone when she caught Yume staring at her. "Very…simple."

Yume blushed in embarrassment, wishing she had brought one of her competition costumes after all as she pulled her hair up into a bun. She had always liked the sleeveless yellow dress she wore, but it was indeed very plain-looking compared to the sequins on the other girl's dress.

"You used to be a singles skater, didn't you?" the girl pressed on, pulling out a tube of blood-red lipstick from her cosmetics kit. "I remember seeing you at Worlds last year. I didn't realize you skated pairs, too."

"I just started a few weeks ago," Yume admitted, and the girl laughed.

"A few weeks ago? You have got to be kidding me! Becoming Mikhail's" - with her accent, though, she pronounced it more like "Michel's" - "new partner is going to be easier than I thought if they're letting complete amateurs try out." Turning to the girl on the other side of her, the French skater tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, Marie, listen to this. This Japanese girl has only been skating pairs for a couple of weeks! Can you believe it?"

"Dominique, don't tell tales. I'm sure she has to be more experienced than that to be asked to try out," Marie said.

"It's the truth! Ask her if you don't believe me," Dominique insisted, again turning to Yume, who was beginning to wish a gigantic hole would open up beneath her and swallow her whole. "Tell her I'm not lying, _mon amie_. What is your name, anyway? I don't remember it."

"It's Yume Naegino, and, yes, it's true, I just started skating pairs, although I've been skating singles since I was a little girl," Yume said, turning her attention to pulling on her skates.

She had hoped that would be sign enough to the French girls that she wasn't interested in any more conversation, but Dominique wouldn't leave her alone. "Naegino, Naegino… Where have I heard that name before? Oh, right! That's the name of that trapeze artist who works here, the fat one."

Though inside Yume was fuming at the insult to her sister, she forced herself to remain composed. "Sora isn't fat. She's four months pregnant."

"So you do know her?"

"She's my older sister."

"Ah, so that explains it," Dominique practically sneered, snapping her fingers. "You had an in here at Kaleido Stage. That's how you got the invitation to audition. Well, I assure you, _Mademoiselle_ Naegino, that your sister's name will only get you so far in this audition. You might as well pack your bags and head back to Japan right now because there's no way Mikhail will ever pick a beginner like you to be his new partner." Standing up, she again tapped her friend's shoulder. "Come on, Marie. Let's go warm up before the auditions start. I'm sure Mikhail will be watching."

With that, the two French girls left arm-in-arm, giggling all the way out the door.

Yume tried to put their cruel words out of her mind as she finished getting ready, but it was difficult when she couldn't help but think they were right. She was totally out of her league. Maybe it would be better if she didn't audition, after all. She could go find Sora and watch the new recruits' production of The Little Mermaid, then spend the rest of her short time in California hanging out with Sora's family.

She started to untie her skates, planning to do just that, when the ringtone on her cell phone went off. Yume pulled the phone out of her bag and flipped it open to find that somebody had sent her a text message. To her surprise, it was Hiromasa Mihara.

 _Hey, Naegino-san,_ the message read, _I just wanted to wish you good luck. Gambatte!_

Smiling, Yume flipped her cell close and headed to the rink to warm up.

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"All skaters, please approach the boards," the voice of May Wong called out as the skaters' warm-up period ended.

Yume, who had been on the opposite end of the rink when the announcement was made, was among the last of the auditioning skaters to gather around the petite pairs coach, who had joined them on the ice. Mikhail Vladimirov had yet to make an appearance as far as Yume could tell, but she did notice Kalos Eido, the owner of Kaleido Stage, and his wife Sarah sitting in the bleachers, along with Yuri Killian, who was Kalos' partner and Kaleido Stage's head producer.

"Is everybody here?" May asked, looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "Well, if they aren't, then too bad. It's bad enough that Mikhail hasn't shown up yet. I'm not dealing with-"

Just then, the door to the men's dressing room opened, and the Olympic champion himself came out, his skates thrown casually over his shoulders as he strolled over to the boards. May yelled something to him in what Yume assumed to be very rough Russian, but he merely shrugged his shoulders and sat down to put on his skates, seemingly oblivious to his coach's anger. May rolled her eyes, then proceeded to call roll while her skater tied his boots.

When Mikhail had finished, he joined May on the ice.

"Glad you could join us today, Mikhail," May said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. Turning back to the girls, she introduced him. "As all of you should already know, this is Mikhail Vladimirov, four-time Russian national champion, three-time World champion, and current Olympic gold medalist."

All the girls applauded, giving him a warm welcome, but he did little to reciprocate, merely nodding his head in acknowledgement. He didn't even smile, looking as if he would rather be anywhere but there.

Despite that, however, Yume had to admit he was a very handsome man. She had seen him skate on TV before, of course, but he was even better-looking up-close and in person. His eyes, especially, were striking. They were a gorgeous ice blue, appropriate for a man called the "Ice Prince," and Yume couldn't stop staring at them, barely listening to May's speech until Kalos interrupted her.

"May, I know you already have plans for today's try-out, but if it is alright with you, I'd like to be in charge of these auditions," Kalos announced, standing up and coming up to the boards.

"You do?" May asked, looking about as confused as everybody else by the sudden announcement. After all, Kalos had very little experience with figure skating other than putting on the occasional ice show. "Well, I suppose that would be okay…"

"For the audition, I would like each girl to improvise a three-minute program with Vladimirov."

That certainly caught Yume's attention, along with all of her fellow competitors'. He wanted them to improvise a pairs program? That was difficult enough as a singles skater, but to expect two people to improvise a program together… That was asking the impossible.

May thought so, too. "Kalos, you can't honestly expect these girls to improvise a pairs program with Mikhail. Not even pairs who have been skating together for years could do that, unless they were telepathic."

"Nevertheless, that will be their audition."

"I think it sounds interesting," Mikhail said in halting English, speaking up for the first time since he arrived. "It's a - how you say? - challenge."

"I think so, too," Dominique, the rude French skater from the dressing room, agreed, probably thinking it would gain her points.

May still didn't seem quite convinced, but finally she threw her hands in the air in surrender. "Fine, we'll do the improvisations. Liang, Colbert, Martinez, and Boudreaux, continue warming up with Mikhail. The rest of you, take a break. It's going to be a long day."

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Yume was scheduled to skate in the last group of the day, which meant a very long wait until her try-out. She didn't exactly relish the thought of watching the other skaters' auditions, not wanting to psych herself out before she even had a chance to skate, so taking off her skates, Yume threw her hoodie over her skating dress and decided to go find Sora.

She found her older sister sitting in the bleachers at _The Little Mermaid_ show.

"Yume, what are you doing here?" Sora asked as Yume took the empty seat beside her. "Are the auditions already over? Or…did you not make the first cut?"

"I haven't auditioned yet," Yume said. "I'm in the last group, so they won't get to me until after lunch. I thought since I had the time, I would come see the show and get my mind off of things for a while."

"I see." Sora nodded sympathetically. "Well, you're in for a treat. This group of new recruits is among the best we've ever had."

"Who's playing the mermaid?"

Sora passed Yume her program, which had mini-biographies on all the cast members, and pointed the girl out. "Rebecca Thomas is playing the lead," Sora said, a bit of pride in her voice. "Do you remember my friends Jerry and Kate?"

The names did sound familiar to Yume, though it took a moment before she could place them. "The police officer and the doctor?"

She nodded. "Becca - that's what she prefers to go by - is their daughter. She's extremely talented and insanely smart. Can you believe she's only sixteen, but she's already graduated from high school? I predict very big things in her future."

Yume looked down at the picture that accompanied the short biography. Due to her mixed-race background, Becca was an exotic-looking girl, with light cocoa-colored skin, emerald green eyes, and hair the color of honey. Yume thought she was absolutely gorgeous, and, watching her perform, she could see what Sora meant about Becca having a bright future ahead of her. She truly made the role of the Little Mermaid her own.

The other recruits were just as talented. Sora had not lied when she said the group was among the best they ever had, and among them was a contortionist who was a definite crowd-pleaser. Every time she appeared on stage, the audience went absolutely wild.

"Who is that girl?" Yume asked, flipping through the program for her picture. "She's amazing! It's almost like she doesn't have any bones at all."

"That's Zoe Eido."

"Eido?" Yume immediately looked up from the booklet, her eyes widening in surprise at the name. "You don't mean…?"

Sora laughed. "Yes, Zoe is Kalos' and Sarah's daughter, although you won't find her listed under that name. She doesn't like people thinking the only reason she's a member of Kaleido Stage is because of her parents, so she uses Zoe Alexander as her stage name."

Thinking back to what Dominique said in the dressing room about how she only got the audition because of Sora, Yume could certainly understand the appeal. "Maybe I should use a stage name…" she mused as she flipped to Zoe's biography, unaware she had voiced the thought aloud until Sora looked over at her.

"Why do you want to use a stage name? Don't you like your name?"

Considering Sora had been the one to name her, Yume immediately regretted what she said. "No, that's not it," Yume assured her. "I love my name. It's just…" She sighed. "Well, one of the other skaters said the only reason I got this audition was because you are my sister."

"You know that isn't true, though. Kalos had no idea who you were until after he watched your tape. The reason why you were invited to audition is because he saw something special in you, Yume, not because of your name."

"Yes, but what if, by some miracle, I actually win this audition? I know I'm not as technically advanced as the other girls, so if I do become Mr. Vladimirov's new partner, people are going to think it is because of your influence."

"They probably will," Sora admitted. "I won't deny it, but, if that does happen, you'll just have to work hard to prove that they're wrong. That's what I did when I first joined Kaleido Stage. Until I took Layla's challenge to perform the Golden Phoenix, everybody was convinced the only reason Kalos allowed me to join was because they wrongly thought we were sleeping together."

"What?!" Yume had never heard that part of the story before. "You told me it took a while for the others to accept you, since you didn't have a proper audition, but you never said anything about that."

Sora shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you're an adult now. You can handle the truth," she said. "However, the point I'm trying to make is that even if people think you get preferential treatment because you're my sister or whatever, as long as you prove to yourself that you deserve it by working hard and being dedicated, that's all that really matters. Don't let them make you doubt yourself, okay? Because you do deserve this chance."

"Thanks."

Yume smiled, feeling a little better. Sora was right. She needed to stop worrying so much about what other people thought and just do the best she possibly could, and, as she and Sora turned their attention back to the show, that's exactly what she vowed to do.

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"Are you sure you don't want me to come watch your audition?" Sora asked as she walked Yume back to the rink after the show was over.

"I'll be fine, Sora," Yume assured her older sister. "Really. I'm going to do exactly as you said. I'm just going to try my best and not worry so much about the other things."

"I'm glad to hear it." As they turned a corner, Sora threw a sisterly arm around Yume's shoulders. "So, what kind of audition did May come up with, anyway? Knowing her, it's probably something very difficult."

"It is, but Ms. Wong didn't come up with it. Mr. Eido decided what we would have to do at our audition."

"Kalos did?"

Yume nodded. "Somehow he expects us to be able to improvise a pairs program with Mr. Vladimirov on the spot," she explained, frowning. "I honestly don't know what Ms. Wong was thinking, going along with such an idea. You can't do that kind of thing on the…sly?"

"Fly," Sora corrected with a smile. "And I'm sure there's a good reason why Kalos wants the skaters to do that. He can be rather unorthodox in his methods, but he does know talent when he sees it."

Yume still failed to see the reason behind the improvisations, but, if Sora held Kalos' judgment in such high regard, she supposed she ought not question it so much. He apparently knew what he was doing, even if nobody else did. "Well, the one good thing about it is that it does put us all more or less on equal ground, since none of us knows what to expect," she said, stopping when she saw the door to the dressing room. "Well, I guess I better start stretching. My group's warm-up should be starting soon."

"Okay," Sora said, giving Yume a hug. "Good luck, Yume. Oh, and, remember, even if it's just Kalos and May watching, the audience is always the most important thing. You can perform the most technically perfect program, but if it fails to make your audience feel anything, then you have failed in your role as a performer. Don't forget that."

"I won't."

Sora gave her one more hug, then left. Yume, hearing the faint sound of music coming from the rink, grabbed her skates from the dressing room and headed inside to join the others.

Dominique, the overconfident French skater, was currently on the ice with Mikhail, but she was not skating well at all. Yume might have laughed in triumph had she not seen several other skaters sobbing, evidently suffering the same fate. In fact, not a single skater who had already auditioned seemed confident she had done well, and the three other girls who were in the last group with her looked as if they were about to throw up, huddled together by the boards as they watched Dominique make a fool of herself on the ice.

"This is ridiculous," an American skater in the group who looked vaguely familiar said, shaking her head. "Not a single girl has been able to keep up with him. How they expect to pick a new partner when we can't even show off our moves properly, I have no idea."

" _Si, si. Senor_ Eido is _loco_ if he thinks this is any way to hold a proper pairs audition," a pretty Hispanic girl agreed.

The last girl, who Yume thought might be Russian, also nodded her agreement.

"So, nobody has done well?" Yume asked, joining the three at the boards.

"You haven't been watching?" the American asked. When Yume shook her head, she sighed. "That was probably smart of you. It's been one disastrous program after another. Vladimirov is making us all look like complete amateurs out there. I'm seriously thinking about just calling it a day, but I've already come this far…" Her voice trailed off, and she smiled, offering Yume a hand. "My name is Clarissa Bachman, by the way," she introduced herself. "This is Pilar Santos, and the other girl's name is Elizaveta, but don't ask us to pronounce her last name. It's Polish, and completely unpronounceable. She doesn't speak much English either."

"I'm Yume," Yume said, taking Clarissa's hand and smiling. Already, she liked the girl much better than Dominique. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same here, Yume. So, you're from Japan?"

"I was actually born here in Cape Mary while my parents were visiting my sister, but I've lived in Tokyo all my life."

"That's so cool! I went to Tokyo a couple of years ago with my former partner Brian for the NHK Trophy, and it was such an awesome city. I think it was probably my favorite competition locale. I'd love to go back some day."

"Where are you all from?" Yume asked.

"Oh, you've probably never heard of it," Clarissa said, frowning. "Certainly no where near as exciting as Tokyo. I'm a small town Midwestern girl, although until Brian and I decided to go our separate ways, I was training in Boston."

"And I'm from Los Angeles," Pilar replied. "Born and raised."

Yume wasn't expecting Elizaveta to give an answer, assuming she didn't understand the question, but the Polish girl answered in broken English, "I…come from…Krakow."

Just then, the music stopped, ending Dominique's and Mikhail's program. Dominique looked almost in tears as she took her bow, but there was a small scattering of polite applause from the other skaters as the French girl skated off the ice and into the waiting arms of her friend Marie.

"Well, I guess it's our turn to face the music," Clarissa announced with a heavy sigh, and the girls, including Yume, headed onto the ice for their final warm-up.

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Clarissa had not lied when she said that nobody was able to keep up with the Ice Prince. As the last skater to audition, Yume watched the other three girls in her group try to skate with Mikhail from her spot at the boards, cringing in sympathy as each one made stumble after stumble. From what she had seen, Clarissa was the best of the bunch, but that wasn't saying much. They all made tons of mistakes.

After one particularly bad fall by Pilar on a throw triple loop, Yume sighed. Mikhail was completely ruining them. It was as if he didn't even want to find a new partner. That's the only explanation Yume could think of to explain why he kept improvising such intricate choreography and expecting his potential partners to be able to match him. But why was he sabotaging everybody?

As Pilar and Mikhail ended their program with an awkward pairs spin, Yume clapped, but, inside, she felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Her turn was next, yet she had absolutely no idea how to escape the fate of the others. When May called her name to come onto the ice, it was as if Yume was frozen in place, unable to move. It took a light shove from Clarissa, who had been standing right beside her to watch Pilar's skate, to unparalyze her.

Out on the ice, Yume skated to the center of the rink where the Ice Prince was waiting for her, unsure of what to expect. Mikhail didn't say a word to her, not even a simple "Hello," as he took her by the arms and began posing her for their opening position. Yume felt like a mannequin as he tried different poses, but, finally, he found one he liked, getting into position himself and nodding to his coach to begin the music.

The music for their program was a techno number. Mikhail immediately began moving his arms robotically to the beat, a move Yume tried to mirror with little success since she never quite knew what he would be doing next.

After a few measures, they began to actually skate. Mikhail continued doing his strange arm movements, but Yume decided to forgo them in favor of concentrating on matching his footwork, which was difficult enough on its own. Footwork had always been one of her strong suits as a singles skater, but she had never had to do it with somebody else before, and it showed.

After the footwork sequence, Mikhail grabbed her hand and began doing crossovers. Yume realized that meant he probably wanted to do a throw jump, so she prepared herself for the only jump she knew, the throw triple toe loop. When he let go of hand, Yume felt his hands on his hips, but instead of throwing her out, as she expected, he threw her up, forcing Yume to pull off a very awkward split double twist.

After that, they went into side-by-side camel spins, although just when Yume thought she had gotten her spin synchronized with his, Mikhail suddenly decided to move to the sit spin. Because of that, they were out of sync for the rest of the spinning sequence, and, when Yume pulled out of her spin, a couple of seconds behind her partner, she was thoroughly frustrated with him.

 _He is nuts_ , Yume thought as he lifted her up for a star lift. _He has absolutely no consideration at all for any of the girls trying out. He must realize by now that he's making things way too difficult for an improvised pairs program, but he still won't lessen the difficulty. Well, I have had about enough of it. If this is how Vladimirov-san is going to treat the girl unlucky enough to become his new partner, then I don't want it anymore. I'll just do my own thing._

And that was exactly what she did once Mikhail set her back down on the ice. He lifted his leg up for a spiral, holding his hand out to her for her to join him, but, ignoring it, Yume decided to go for a double axel, landing it perfectly. For the first time that day, the other skaters began clapping in the middle of a program, instead of just polite applause at the end, and Yume began to relax, just as she had done during her free skate at All-Japan.

Mikhail, for his part, seemed shocked by what she had just done, although after a brief falter, he covered it well. Apparently realizing that Yume had no intention of following him any longer, he let her take the lead, matching his movements to hers instead of the other way around.

Though Yume had every chance to get revenge on him, she kept her moves simple and easy to follow, amazed by the change. They were almost skating together like a team now. Their unison was still a bit off, and Yume two-footed the throw triple toe she and Hiromasa had worked so hard to master, but that didn't really seem to matter. The audience, despite only consisting of twenty to thirty people, loved them.

For the grand finale, Yume threw in her trademark one-footed backflip, surprised when Mikhail managed to land one as well. They then skated back to the center of the ice, ending the program with a successful pairs spin.

As they took their bows, the other skaters clapped wildly, almost everybody in the rink giving them a standing ovation. Dominique, of course, stayed sitting in her spot in the bleachers, but even she had to begrudgingly give them applause. When Yume skated off the ice, she got excited hugs from both Clarissa and Pilar.

"Yume, you did it!" Clarissa squealed, hugging her again. "That was amazing. You're going to be Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner!"

"I don't know about that," Yume said honestly, putting on her skate guards. Sure, she had managed to skate better than most of the other girls who tried out, but that was only because she didn't try to follow Mikhail's ridiculously difficult choreography. "I completely ignored him after that one lift. I don't think he liked that."

Pilar rolled her dark brown eyes. "Who cares, _chica_? That man totally needed to be taken down a few pegs. I only wish I had the _cojones_ to do what you did."

"Me, too," Clarissa agreed. "I was so worried about impressing him that I never even thought about taking the lead away from him. That was pure brilliance!"

"Or pure stupidity, depending on how you look at it."

Neither of the girls seemed to hear Yume, leading her over to the bleachers where the rest of the skaters had gathered. Mikhail, May, Kalos, Yuri, and Sarah had disappeared, presumably to make their final decision, but nobody wanted to take a break, all anxious to hear the results, even though the general consensus seemed to agree that Yume had won the right to become Mikhail's new partner.

"You know, to be honest, I'm not sure if I even want to be Mr. Vladimirov's partner anymore," Yume confessed as they sat down by Elizaveta, ignoring Dominique's furious stares. "He doesn't seem like a very friendly guy."

"Well, they do call him the Ice Prince," Clarissa pointed out. "I guess that applies to his personality both on-and-off the ice."

"He is gorgeous, though, isn't he?" Pilar mused, sighing dreamily. "I'd put up with his coldness in a heartbeat if it meant I could stare at a man that caliente all day long."

Despite herself, Yume felt her cheeks grow hot, a fact she tried to hide by looking down and taking off her skates.

"Pilar, don't tell me the only reason why you auditioned was because Vladimirov is hot," Clarissa said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it wasn't the only reason."

"Pilar!"

"Oh, like I'm the only one here who had that thought cross her mind," Pilar said. "Besides, it's been way too long since I've had a boyfriend. Most of the guys I meet in this business are either taken or gay."

"I'll agree with you on that," Clarissa said. "What about you, Yume? Is there some guy waiting for you back home in Tokyo?"

"No, not really." A vision of Hiromasa's text message briefly flashed in her mind, but Yume ignored it. After all, they were only friends. "I've never really been all that interested in boys and dating. All my life, my number one love was skating."

"So you've never had a boyfriend?"

"I've never even been kissed," she admitted with some embarrassment.

"You poor, deprived girl," Pilar said, shaking her head. "I'll tell you what. When you do get the job here, you're going to come visit me down in L.A. and I'm going to take you to all of the hottest clubs in Hollywood. How old are you, anyway?"

"Eighteen."

"Good. I know some places that'll let you in as long as you don't drink. Actually, I know of a few places that don't care either way, but if you want to meet a cute guy, it's better, and safer, to remain sober. So, what do you think? Is it a date?"

To be honest, Yume had no interest in going clubbing, but she didn't want to hurt Pilar's feelings by outright saying no. "We don't even know yet if I am going to become Mr. Vladimirov's new partner," Yume reminded her instead.

"Oh, come on, Yume! If he doesn't pick you, then _he's loco en la cabeza_."

At that point, the group in charge of deciding Mikhail's new partner returned to the rink, faster than Yume expected. All conversation between the hopefuls stopped, and May walked over to them, Mikhail right behind her. Neither of them said anything, drawing out the suspense, and both Clarissa and Pilar took one of Yume's hands, squeezing them tightly.

"After careful consideration, Mikhail, Kalos, Yuri, and myself have decided who shall become Mikhail's new professional partner, earning a one year contract with Kaleido Stage and the starring role in this company's new production," May finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "It was a difficult decision to make. As I'm sure you are all well aware, Mikhail did not go easy on any of you. Nobody was perfect, but one stood out above the rest.

"However, before I announce that girl's name, I am pleased to also announce the names of the four girls who have also been offered one year contracts with Kaleido Stage."

That announcement came as a surprise to all the girls, and a ripple of hushed conversation started up again, though it stopped when May held up her hand.

"Congratulations to Elizaveta Krzyzewska, Pilar Santos, Clarissa Bachman, and Dominique Fontenot."

Yume squealed along with the three other girls who had been in her flight, giving her newfound friends each a heartfelt hug of congratulations. Dominique, however, did not seem happy even though she had won a contract with Kaleido Stage, and Yume felt the French skater staring daggers at her back.

"Yume, can you believe it?" Clarissa asked in a heavy whisper, squeezing Yume's hand even tighter than before. "If you become Vladimirov's new partner, which we all know you will, we will all be skating here together. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Yume nodded, her heart suddenly beginning to race. She still wasn't sure if she really wanted to be the Ice Prince's new partner, but the thought of being able to train every day with Clarissa, Pilar, and even shy Elizaveta made her suddenly wish that Mikhail had picked her after all. As May once again dragged out the moment, Yume found herself squeezing Clarissa's and Pilar's hands just as tightly as they did hers, her breath caught in her throat as they waited for the announcement.

"And now for the moment you've all been waiting for," May said. "The girl who will become Mikhail Vladimirov's new professional pairs partner is…"


	6. Saying Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those curious, Chieri Asuka and Masanori Tsuzuki are not real-life skaters. They are, in fact, characters from a wonderful (and unfortunately, unlicensed) skating manga called _The Cherry Project_ by mangaka Naoko Takeuchi, of _Sailor Moon_ fame. I just wanted to add in a little shout-out.

Yume could not believe it.

She heard her name being called, yet she still couldn't believe it was true. For what felt like an hour - although it was probably only a couple of seconds in reality - she sat in shock of what just happened, only regaining her senses when Clarissa, Pilar, and Elizaveta began hugging her all at once, offering their congratulations.

"I…did it?" Yume asked, still a bit dazed. "B-But how? I'm not a pairs skater. I only know one jump. I've never even competed in a pairs competition. I can't be the partner of the current Olympic champion!"

"Well, they obviously saw something in you, Yume," Pilar said, grinning. "We all saw something in you, didn't we, girls?"

Both Clarissa and Elizaveta nodded their agreement. "You were wonderful," the Polish girl said in her broken English. "A - what is the word? - real star."

"Liza is right, Yume," Clarissa insisted. "You may not have the technical aptitude yet, but there is something special about you. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you just have this…this…"

"Star quality, as they like to say in Hollywood," Pilar finished for her when Clarissa couldn't think of the proper phrase.

"Yes, that's it! Star quality!"

Yume didn't know if she had star quality or not, but there was one thing she did know for sure. "I've got to tell my sister!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her seat in the bleachers and running for the doors.

Faintly, she heard May's voice calling her name, telling her to come back, but Yume ignored it, knowing the news wouldn't feel completely real to her until she was able to share it with Sora. Not knowing where Sora was at the moment as _The Little Mermaid_ had ended a couple of hours ago, she started running all around the Kaleido Stage complex, shouting, "Onee-chan! Onee-chan!" at the top of her lungs and forgetting all about her resolve to stick to English for the day.

"Yume?"

Yume skidded to a stop when she heard her name. Sora, along with the teenaged girl who had played the Little Mermaid in the show earlier that day, had just exited one of the practice rooms, the both of them looking at her as if she had gone mad, which maybe she had. That didn't matter, though, now that she had finally found her. Running over to Sora, Yume gave her big sister a hug, her eyes tearing up in happiness.

"I did it, Sora," Yume said, not letting her sister go. "I'm Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner."

And, finally, it was real.

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Yume wasn't sure how long she and Sora stood outside the practice room, hugging each other, but, eventually, they pulled apart, the both of them wiping away tears of celebration. While Becca, the girl with Sora, didn't seem to know quite what to make of the situation, she gave Yume a smile.

"Congratulations!" Becca said. "That's wonderful news."

"It certainly is," Sora echoed, her eyes widening slightly when she realized Becca was still there. "Oh, forgive me, Becca! I didn't mean to ignore you. I'd like you to meet my little sister, Yume. I told you about her earlier, how she was one of the girls trying out today. Yume, this is Rebecca Thomas. She's the new star of _The Little Mermaid_."

Becca offered her hand, which Yume shook. "Call me Becca. It's very nice to meet you, Yume. Your sister's told me a lot about you."

"You, too," Yume said. "I saw your performance today. You were amazing out there. Almost as good as Sora."

"Considering you are Sora's sister, I'll take that as compliment," Becca laughed. "I really have a long way to go before I'm anywhere as good as Sora, though."

"I wouldn't say that, Becca," Sora disagreed, shaking her head. "One day soon, you'll surpass me. I can feel it right here." She placed her hand over her heart.

"Thank you for saying so, but I really do have a lot to learn before I can even consider myself your equal. Speaking of which…" Becca looked down at her watch and frowned. "I need to go get ready for the next show. Thank you, again, Sora, for your advice. It was really helpful. I'll try to keep everything you told me in mind tonight. And, Yume, I guess I'll be seeing you around. Congratulations again."

Yume smiled, surprised that Becca was so nice. Since she was an up-and-coming star at Kaleido Stage and a genius to boot, Yume assumed she would be a bit of a snob, but she was quite down-to-earth. "Thanks. Good luck!"

With a wave good-bye, Becca headed off in the direction of the dressing rooms to get ready for her next performance, and Yume and Sora started walking back to the rink, which was in the opposite direction.

"I'm so proud of you, Yume," Sora said, giving her sister another hug. "This is going to be such a wonderful opportunity for you. I know you are going to love it here at Kaleido Stage. Everybody here is hardworking, talented, and very supportive of each other. There's the occasional friendly rivalry, of course, but, overall, we all really try to encourage each other to do our best."

"I'm glad to hear it, because I'm going to need all the support I can get," Yume sighed. "I may have somehow passed the audition, but that still doesn't change the fact that I don't have the skills to match Mr. Vladimirov. I'm still a beginner when it comes to this kind of skating."

"I'm sure you'll quickly catch up. You are my sister, after all, and we Naegino girls never give up, right?"

Yume smiled, some of her big sister's confidence passing onto her. "Right."

By that time, they had returned to the rink, most of the other girls who had auditioned had already left, save for Clarissa, Pilar, Elizaveta, and Dominique who were all out on the ice, posing for group pictures with Mikhail. May, spotting Yume and Sora come in, ran over, looking none too happy.

"Yume Naegino, there you are!" she scolded, hands on her hips. "Where have you been? Didn't you hear me tell you to stay for pictures?"

"Sorry, Ms. Wong - I mean, Coach Wong," Yume apologized, suitably chastised. Running off against direct orders certainly was not the way to get off on the right foot with her new coach. "I was just so excited to be named Mr. Vladimirov's new partner, I had to tell my sister."

"Can't you just give her a break this once, May?" Sora asked her former rival. "I'm sure Yume will behave from now on. She's usually not so disrespectful."

May frowned, some of the anger fading from her face. "Fine, I suppose I'll let it pass this time, but don't think that just because you're Sora's sister, I'm going to go easy on you. Now, go put your skates back on and get on the ice. Mia wants to have some pictures posted on the website by tonight, to accompany the announcement."

"Yes, ma'am."

Following orders, Yume switched back into her skates and joined the others on the ice for photographs, her smile the biggest of them all.

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A couple of hours later, Yume was back at the airport with Sora and her family to catch her six o'clock flight back to Tokyo. Though May was not happy when she heard Yume was flying straight back to Japan to finish her last week of high school, especially considering how behind she was in regards to her pairs skills, she made Yume promise she would at least continue training with Coach Hasegawa and Hiromasa for the remainder of her time in Japan.

"Do you really have to go back to Japan so soon, Aunt Yume?" little Hana asked as they waited in the airline's lounge for her flight to be called. "We barely got to play at all."

Yume, who was passing the time by braiding her niece's long blonde hair into pigtails, playfully tugged on the one she had already finished. "Don't worry, Hana. I'll be back for good next weekend, remember? There's just a couple of things I need to take care of in Japan, but once I move here for good, we'll be able to play all the time."

"Really?"

"Well, at least when I'm not practicing for the show," Yume amended.

Sora chuckled. "I'm not sure it was wise to say that, Yume. Hana's bound to hold you to your word. You won't get a minute's peace."

"I don't mind. After all, Hana and I always have fun together, don't we?" Yume began tickling the little girl on her lap, Hana giggling and shrieking as she tried to get away. "Besides, with the new baby coming soon, I'm sure you and Ken won't mind having me nearby to baby-sit. I'll be just a phone call away."

"You know, Yume, you don't have to move into the dorms at Kaleido Stage," Ken reminded her. "You're perfectly welcome to stay with us."

It wasn't the first time that Ken and Sora offered to let Yume move in with them, but Yume's answer still hadn't changed. "I appreciate the offer, but I want to live in the dorms. Clarissa, Pilar, and Elizaveta are all staying there, and it'll be a good opportunity to meet some of the other performers at Kaleido Stage."

Sora nodded, a far off look in her eyes. "I can't say I really blame you, Yume. The years I spent living at the dormitories at Kaleido Stage are some of my fondest memories. So many late nights, helping Mia with her stories and scripts, laughing at Anna's latest comedy routine, watching Sarah's stash of anime and martial art videos…" She sighed, lost for a moment in her reminiscing before coming back down to Earth. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Marion's the dorm manager now, and everybody likes her, even if she is a bit of a stickler for the rules. Oh, I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait for you to see everybody again!"

"I can't wait either." Because of how short her trip was, there hadn't been time to say hello to Rosetta, Mia, and the others.

Over the public announcement system, Yume heard a man announce that her flight was ready to board. Handing Hana over to her father, Yume tied her hoodie around her waist and grabbed her carry-on duffel bag from off the floor. "Well, that's me," she needlessly announced as her sister and brother-in-law stood to say goodbye. "I guess I'll see you again in a few days."

"Call us when you know what time you'll be arriving this weekend, okay?" Sora said, giving Yume a hug. "And tell otou-san and okaa-san that we miss them and that they should come for a visit soon. I'd like to tell them the big news."

"I will."

Since Ken was holding a suddenly very sleepy Hana in his arms, he settled for giving Yume a nod. "Goodbye, Yume. See you soon."

"Bye!"

On the long plane ride back home to Tokyo, Yume passed the time by making a list of all the things she needed to do to prepare for her move to California. One week hardly seemed like enough time to get everything done. She had to pack, ship the necessary things to Kaleido Stage, do some research on obtaining a work visa, close her bank account in Tokyo and withdraw all the savings she had accrued during her amateur career, study for her final exams so she would graduate on time, and, on top of all that, keep up her practices with Coach Hasegawa and Hiromasa. Everything was just happening so fast. It was almost enough to make her consider turning down her contract, though it was only a fleeting thought. There was no way Yume would seriously pass up such a wonderful opportunity.

When the plane landed, her parents were already waiting for her by the luggage claim. They both had proud smiles on their faces, and Yume's mother embraced her, saying, "Congratulations, sweetheart. We knew you could do it."

"Thanks, okaa-san," Yume said, becoming a bit teary-eyed as she hugged her mother back. Though she had already called them earlier from California to tell them the news, she had still been a bit apprehensive to see their reaction in person. She knew no matter how supportive her parents had been about the major life decisions she had been making as of late, a part of them really hoped she would stay in Japan. "I know you and otou-san probably aren't too thrilled with the idea of another of your daughters moving to America -"

Her mother shook her head, finally releasing Yume. "If you must move to the U.S., then we're glad that at least your sister will be nearby to look after you in our absence."

"Here, these are for you," her father said, revealing the bouquet of yellow roses, her favorite, he had been hiding behind his back. "Congratulations."

Yume took the offered flowers, bringing them up to her nose to take in their sweet scent. "Thank you, otou-san," she said with a smile. "They're beautiful."

Grabbing her suitcase off the luggage carousel and taking the duffel bag she carried over her shoulder, her father took the lead. "Have you eaten yet, Yume?" he asked as they headed to the parking lot. "We can stop for some take-out if you're hungry, but I imagine you must be tired after your flight."

Yume yawned, proving her father correct. It was around nine o'clock, Tokyo time, and she was exhausted after her long, eventful day. Luckily, final exams didn't start until Tuesday and tomorrow was going to be an all-day study hall to prepare, so she didn't have any homework due. "Let's just head home," Yume said, stifling another yawn. "It's around my bedtime anyway."

"Home it is, then."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning before school, Yume headed to the rink, anxious to tell Hiromasa and Coach Hasegawa about her exciting news. She had considered calling them the night before to tell them, but by the time she got home, it was too late to be considered polite. Besides, she wanted to see their reactions in person. She could just imagine the looks of total shock that were sure to be on their faces when she told them that she - a complete and total amateur when it came to pairs skating - had been chosen to be Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner. They were never going to believe it.

To be honest, sometimes she had a hard time believing it herself. After all, she was so far behind when it came to her pairs skills… But Yume tried not to worry about that too much. She had been chosen for a reason, and, while she wasn't quite sure what that reason was, she had to believe that Kalos, May, and Mikhail had faith in her to overcome her technical disadvantages as a pairs skater.

With that in mind, she got dressed in her practice clothes and began warming up on the ice, surprised to see that Hiromasa was already there. She waved to him in greeting, but when she saw him start to skate over to her, she shook her head and mouthed the word "later," knowing that he wanted to ask her how the audition went. Yume thought it best to tell him and Coach Hasegawa at the same time, so they practiced silently together until their coach finally arrived.

"Naegino! Mihara!"

Upon hearing the coach's booming voice across the rink, Yume and Hiromasa finished their pairs spin and skated over to the boards. Yume, though she tried to keep her face impassive, couldn't quite hide a small smile, which Coach Hasegawa immediately picked up on, her eyes widening in surprise.

"You did it?" she asked before Yume could even say a word.

Yume's smile brightened, and she nodded. "I did it, Coach," she announced. "I'm Vladimirov-san's new pairs partner! Can you believe it?"

Apparently, she couldn't, for Coach Hasegawa shook her head in disbelief. "Well, I'll be… You actually did it. You managed to pull it off. I never seriously thought… You aren't just pulling our legs, Naegino?"

Yume rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I wouldn't lie about something like this! You can check the Kaleido Stage website if you don't believe me."

"No, I believe you. It's just…unexpected, that's all."

Hiromasa, who had yet to react to the news with anything other than stunned silence, finally found his voice. "Congratulations, Naegino-san," he said, smiling. "That's amazing."

"I never would have been able to do it without you, Mihara-kun," she honestly replied. "Without either of you. I know you both thought I was a bit crazy when I first told you that I was trying out to become the Olympic champion's new partner…"

"Crazy is an understatement," her coach muttered under her breath, though Yume continued on as if she hadn't heard her.

"…but I really appreciate everything you've done for me. I can't thank you both enough for helping me train for the audition."

"It was nothing. I was happy to do it," Hiromasa said, bashfully scratching the back of his neck. "So… I guess today is our last practice, huh?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I was hoping we could continue our practices until the end of this week. I'm still so behind technically, and Wong-sensei's already upset that I had to come back to finish up my exams, so she really wants me to try to get in as much practice as I can while I'm here," Yume explained. "Although, if you need to focus on your own studies, I would certainly understand…"

He shook his head. "It's not a problem. The entrance exams are finished, so the difficult part is over. Compared to that, finals will be a walk in the park."

"Well, if that's the case, then let's get to work," Coach Hasegawa ordered, clapping her hands together.

With that, Yume and Hiromasa skated back to the center of the ice and began their practice.

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The next few days passed by in a blur. It seemed that no matter how Yume tried to slow down and take in the fact that she was actually leaving Tokyo and moving to America, there was always something else she needed to do, whether it was practicing with Hiromasa, taking her final exams, or packing for her trip. Before she knew it, it was already her graduation day.

Since she was leaving for California the next day, Yume's parents decided to throw her a combination graduation/bon voyage party. It was a small party, as she didn't have many close friends outside of skating, but sweet, nevertheless. Coach Hasegawa nearly made Yume cry when she put on a video of her skating highlights, and her parents succeeded when they gave her a gold medal that said "Olympic Champion Daughter," complete with a fake medal ceremony that might have been corny had Yume not been so touched.

Hiromasa also came by, though he didn't stay long, leaving shortly after the medal ceremony. He had been accepted into his first choice university, so his parents wanted to take him out for a celebratory dinner. Right before he left, however, Yume gave him a framed autographed photo of his favorite Japanese pairs team of Chieri Asuka and Masanori Tsuzuki as a congratulatory gift, as well as a thank you for all the hard work he put in helping her prepare for the audition, while he surprised her with a pretty necklace, a pendant in the shape of a pair of figure skates dangling from a delicate gold chain.

"Mihara-kun, you shouldn't have," Yume breathed when she opened the box and pulled out the necklace, which sparkled in the light thanks to the diamond-cutting on the pendent. "This is too much!"

Blushing slightly, Hiromasa shrugged. "It was really no big deal," he insisted, awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pants pockets. "My uncle owns a jewelry store, so…"

Even if he did get a discount on it, as he seemed to be suggesting, Yume couldn't believe he bought her something so beautiful. "Thank you," she said, undoing the clasp on the chain and holding it out to him. "Would you mind? My fingers are always so clumsy when it comes to dealing with these kinds of clasps."

Nodding, he took the necklace from her hands and placed it around her neck, Yume brushing her hair to the side so that he could see. "There," he said when he had finished, smiling when she turned back around so he could see. "I think it suits you, Naegino-san."

It was Yume's turn to blush. "Thank you."

"Anyway, I probably should be going now," he announced, looking down at his watch. "Sorry I can't stay longer, but good luck in California. Maybe during a break from school, I'll fly over sometime and come see one of your shows."

Yume smiled. "I'd like that."

"Good-bye, Naegino-san."

"Good-bye."

About an hour later, the rest of the party wrapped up. After saying good-bye to the last of her guests, including Coach Hasegawa, who, in a rare display of affection, gave Yume a hug, the realization that it really was her last night in Tokyo finally sunk in. There would be no more early morning bus rides to the rink, no more practices with Coach Hasegawa and Hiromasa, no more talking to her parents every day… A part of her would even miss attending school, even though she had never been much of student, focusing more on her skating than on her studies.

"Is something wrong, Yume?" her mother asked, noticing Yume slumping with her back against the front door after having closed it, absent-mindedly fiddling with the pendant around her neck.

Dropping her necklace, Yume immediately straightened up and shook her head. "It's nothing," she said, walking over to the refreshment table to help her mother put the leftover food away.

Her mother, however, shooed her away. "Don't worry about this mess. I'll clean up. You need to finish packing for tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, go."

Following her mother's orders, Yume headed upstairs to her room and pulled her large suitcase out from her mostly empty closet. Most of her belongings had already been packed and shipped to the dorms, hopefully to arrive by the time she got there, but she still needed to pack things like her skates, toiletries, and clothes that she had needed during the week. As Yume changed into a nightgown and hung her school uniform back in the closet with the few items of clothing she planned to leave behind - mostly old skating costumes and heavy winter outfits that she wouldn't need in sunny California - she sighed, thinking how depressing the room looked without all of her things around, especially her skating and Kaleido Stage paraphernalia.

"I wonder what otou-san and okaa-san plan to do with this room after I'm gone," Yume mused as she started emptying out her dresser drawers and folding T-shirts. They already had a guest room that Sora and Ken used whenever they visited, so they didn't really need another one. Maybe they would convert it into an home office. Her father had been wanting one for years, but there had never been enough room for one before.

Nevertheless, it was strange to think that come tomorrow, it would no longer be her room, that tomorrow night she would be going to sleep in a new bed, in a new room, located in a new city that she only knew from a few trips to visit Sora. Yume had spent almost her entire life until then living in the same room, ever since she was three years old and her father got a promotion at work, allowing them to move out of their apartment and into a house. Fifteen wonderful years of memories seemed to overwhelm her as she packed up the last of her things. How was she ever going to be able to leave her home behind?

Yet she couldn't help but be excited about the move as well. Yume smiled, thinking of Clarissa, Pilar, Elizaveta, and even Becca, who she had liked very much despite their brief meeting. All of her life, Yume had always felt somewhat separate from other girls her age due to her intense training in skating and gymnastics, which left little time for socializing. She had friends, sure, but nobody at school could really understand the pressure of her sport, and those who could - the girls in her skating club at the rink - thought of her as competition first, friend second.

But with the girls she met at Kaleido Stage, it was different. Even though they had technically been competitors, they all seemed genuinely happy for her when she had been chosen as Mikhail's new pairs partner, and, for the first time, Yume saw the potential of building some real friendships with other girls. Of course, Dominique Fontenot already hated her, thinking that Yume had only been chosen due to her family connections, but Yume resigned herself to the fact that they would never be the best of friends. She just had to try her best to prove Dominique wrong.

And then there was Mikhail. Butterflies fluttered in Yume's stomach as she thought of her new partner. She still didn't really know what she thought of him yet. He was a fantastic skater, no doubt, but he wasn't exactly the friendliest guy she had ever met. Arrogant and rude was more like it, not at all like Hiromasa, who had always been so sweet and supportive of her. Still, Yume tried to keep an open mind. Maybe Mikhail wasn't so bad once you got to know him better. Maybe he had just been in a bad mood the day of the auditions, and he was really quite nice after all.

In any case, at least she had managed to add a throw double axel to her repertoire during her week back so she wouldn't look like such a complete amateur when she and Mikhail started practicing together. The last thing Yume wanted was for Mikhail and May to realize they made a huge mistake in selecting her to be his new partner.

With that in mind, Yume crawled into her bed for the last time, dreaming of her new life at Kaleido Stage.


	7. Arrival

Unlike her last trip to California, this time, Yume's parents had decided to come along with her. They insisted it was mainly to visit Sora, Ken, and Hana, but Yume knew their real reason was to make sure she adjusted to her new life in America. Normally, she would have been annoyed, thinking that they were still treating her like a child, but Yume was actually glad they had decided to come with her, since it gave her a little more time to say good-bye to her family.

The three of them left Tokyo late Sunday afternoon and arrived in California around three in the morning, Tokyo time. Local time, however, was ten a.m. Sunday, and Yume marveled not for the first time how it always seemed as if she had gone back in time whenever she flew to the States.

Thanks to the long nap she had taken on the plane, Yume was fairly well-rested. Her parents, on the other hand, who were not as accustomed to flying in planes as she was, fought back yawns as they made their way to the luggage claim, where Sora, Ken, and Hana were already waiting.

"Ojii-san! Obaa-san! Aunt Yume!"

Hana, spotting them first, let go of Sora's hand and ran over to greet them, throwing her arms around Yume's father's legs.

"Hey, Hana-chan," her father said, smiling as he playfully mussed Hana's blonde hair. "My, haven't you grown since the last time your obaa-san and I saw you. You're almost a big girl now!"

Hana pouted. "I am a big girl, ojii-san. Mama and Papa say so."

"Oh, my mistake then. Forgive me."

Sora and Ken came over as well, Yume's mother bringing a hand to her mouth when she saw Sora's bulge, which had grown slightly larger in Yume's absence. Sora smiled and patted her swollen belly, saying, "I guess Yume managed to keep it a secret after all. I thought for sure she would spill the beans the moment she got home."

"Hey, I resent that," Yume said, arching an eyebrow at her older sister. "I can keep a secret."

"But why didn't you tell us sooner, sweetheart?" her mother asked, giving Sora a hug. "This is wonderful news. Another baby!"

"Consider it payback for not telling me about that one until she was practically born," Sora quipped, pointing her thumb at Yume, who stuck out her tongue. "Actually, though, we planned to tell you when we came to watch Yume compete at All-Japan, but since we weren't able to make it…" She shrugged. "We just really wanted to tell you the news in person, that's all."

"Well, in any case, like your mother said, it really is wonderful news," her father said, picking Hana up. "Are you ready to be a big sister, Hana-chan?"

All of the sudden bashful, Hana nodded, then hid her face in her grandfather's shoulder, causing everybody to laugh.

"Anyway, if this is all, we should get going," Ken suggested, grabbing the two largest suitcases from the pile he had gathered off the carousel. "Sora and I took separate cars, so we thought she would go ahead and take Yume-chan to the dorms, while I take you two straight to the house. That is, unless you would rather go with Sora and Yume-chan…"

Fighting back another yawn, Yume's mother shook her head. "No, I think Chikara and I would like to settle in, Ken-san. It's been a very long flight. We can see the dorms later."

"I guess we'll see you later then," Yume said, dividing her luggage from the rest and handing Sora a couple of the lighter bags. "Bye!"

With that decided, Yume's parents, Ken, and Hana went one way, while Yume and Sora headed in the other direction.

"So, are you excited yet, Yume?" Sora asked conversationally after they loaded up the back of her car and got in.

"Yes, but I'm a little nervous, too," Yume admitted, buckling her seatbelt right before Sora took off. "This is going to be the first time I've ever lived apart from Mama and Papa, and my new home is in a whole different country."

"That's to be expected."

"Were you nervous when you moved here on your own?"

Sora laughed. "To be honest, I think I was too enthusiastic about following my dreams to be really nervous about leaving Japan. Still, I did miss having Mama and Papa around at first. I kind of wish they had come along with me like they are now with you, but they weren't exactly pleased with my decision at first, and I was just so gung ho about doing things on my own, you know?"

Yume nodded. Sora had always been the independent, courageous sort, the type of girl who didn't think twice about moving to America at sixteen to try out for one of the top performing circuses in the world. It was one of things Yume most admired about her big sister.

"Hey, do you know if my things have arrived yet?" Yume asked, thinking of her new home. "I shipped them off a few days ago and paid for express delivery so they would be here when I arrived, but I don't know if they were that fast."

Sora shrugged, pulling her car off on the exit that led to Kaleido Stage. Already, Yume could see the top of the distinctive building in the distance. "I haven't checked, but if they haven't, don't worry about it. I doubt you'll have much time to do much unpacking and decorating anyway," she said, chuckling a little. "May's already got all the skaters on a strict training regimen in preparation for the show."

"They've already started practice without me?"

"Well, from what I've seen so far, at the moment, I think she's just trying to pick the right partners for the four other girls they hired. You're friends with them, right?"

"With three of them," Yume corrected. "Dominique doesn't seem to like me much."

"That French skater?" Sora frowned. "Ken told me about her. I don't think she likes anybody that much, Yume. In fact, she's the only one who doesn't have a partner yet. She keeps finding something wrong with every guy May partners her with."

"I guess nobody else can compare to Mikhail. I know she really wanted to be his new partner." Letting out a sigh, Yume absent-mindedly began twirling a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail around her finger. "To be honest, I wouldn't really mind if she was his partner instead of me."

Sora glanced over at her in surprise. "What do you mean? You don't want to be the star of the show?"

"No, it's not that. It's just that we didn't exactly get off on the right foot during the auditions. He's not the friendliest guy in the world."

"Ah, another Leon Oswald." Sora nodded her head sympathetically. "I know the type. Arrogant, rude, condescending?"

"Exactly."

"Still, Leon wasn't that bad once you got to know him," she continued. "He really pushed me to do my best, and he was a great partner. I don't know if I ever would have been able to do the Angel's Maneuver without him. Maybe it'll be that way for you and Mikhail."

"Maybe," Yume said unenthusiastically.

By that time, Sora had parked her car in front of the Kaleido Stage girls' dormitory, popping up the trunk to get Yume's things. Yume, anxious to see her room, immediately jumped out of the passenger's side and began unloading her luggage.

"Yume! You're here!" a familiar girl's voice called out.

Shielding her eyes from the already bright California sun, Yume looked up to see Clarissa standing on a third floor balcony, waving down to her excitedly. Yume returned the wave, and a couple of minutes later, Clarissa was coming downstairs, nearly knocking Yume over as she threw her arms around her in a huge hug.

"Clarissa…I…can't…breathe…" Yume gasped as Sora giggled.

"Oops, sorry!" Clarissa immediately let her go, taking the bag in Yume's hand as an apology. "I guess I got a little overexcited. Me, Pilar, and Liza have been waiting for you to finally come back."

Yume looked around, wondering where the other two girls were. "Speaking of Pilar and Elizaveta, where are they?"

"Oh, Pilar is still asleep, if you can believe that." Clarissa rolled her eyes. "Just because it's Sunday and Coach gave us the day off doesn't mean she should be sleeping the day away, but I've been trying to wake her up since eight with absolutely no luck at all. She's dead to the world. As for Elizaveta, she went back to her room after breakfast to study her English. She bought this set of CDs that are supposed to give her a crash course in conversational English, and she listens to them every free moment she can find, which isn't much. Coach Wong has been killing us in practice."

"So Sora's told me," Yume said with a small frown, realizing just then that she had yet to introduce the two. "Oh, by the way, Clarissa, this is my sister, Sora Naegino Robbins."

"Everybody here knows who your sister is, Yume," Clarissa laughed. "They'd have to be living under a rock not to. After all, she is the star of Kaleido Stage. Still, it's very nice to formally meet you, Ms. Robbins. I'm Clarissa Bachman, one of the new skaters."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Clarissa," Sora said, smiling and taking the hand Clarissa offered. "Call me Sora. It's great that Yume's already made some friends here. I hope you will help her get acquainted with how things work around here."

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of her." Grabbing another one of Yume's bags from the trunk, Clarissa headed toward the entrance. "Come on, Yume. I'll show you to your room. It's right next door to mine."

"Don't I need to get a key first?" Yume asked, causing Clarissa to drop the suitcase she had been holding in one hand to lightly bop herself on the head.

"Oh, yeah, that probably would be helpful…"

"You girls go ahead and start taking things upstairs," Sora said, waving them away. "I'll go find Marion and get the key."

"You don't mind, Sora?"

"Sure. What are big sisters for?"

With that, Sora headed off to find the dorm manager, while Yume and Clarissa started lugging her bags up to the third floor. "You're in room 314, by the way," Clarissa informed her on the way. "I'm next door in 313, and Liza and Pilar are in 312 and 315 respectively. Dominique, in case you happen to be interested, is in 316."

From the tone in her voice, Yume could tell Clarissa didn't really think she would be interested in the French skater's room number, although she gave it anyway. "Sora tells me that Dominique hasn't made many friends here," she said diplomatically.

"Ha! Try none at all." Stopping in front of 314, Clarissa set down the luggage she had been carrying beside the door and rolled her eyes. "Don't get me wrong. We all tried to be friends with her at first, since we are going to be working together, but she's just not interested. She and Pilar are on especially bad terms."

"Why?"

"Oh, because Dominique keeps asking to be paired up with Pilar's partner, Sergei. Other than Mikhail, he's the best pairs partner here at Kaleido Stage, a former Russian champion who had to cut his promising amateur career short due to injury. However, Coach Wong really likes the chemistry between Pilar and Sergei and won't make the switch, so Dominique is jealous."

 _It sounds like me and Pilar are now in the same boat_ , Yume thought with an inward sigh. At least she had company. "What about your partner?" she asked, changing the subject. "Who is he? Do you get along?"

The frown on Clarissa's face immediately turned into a bright smile at the mention of her new partner. "His name is Jason Kerry, and he is so incredibly cute. Oh, wait until you meet him, Yume! You're going to hate me, absolutely hate me. Seriously. Pilar and Elizaveta already do, especially since Sergei is gay and Liza's partner Dmitri is engaged to some girl back home in his native Ukraine. You should have seen their faces when Coach announced he was going to be my partner. They were positively green with envy."

Yume laughed. "So, you really like him, then, huh?"

"That's the understatement of the year. Too bad he never seems to notice me off the ice." Clarissa sighed heavily, leaning back against the door to Yume's room.

"Are you sure he's straight? He could be like Sergei."

"Oh, he's definitely heterosexual," she insisted. "I catch him staring at Zoe Alexander all the time."

"Zoe Alexander? The contortionist?" Yume asked, remembering her from the production of _The Little Mermaid_ she watched at the try-outs.

"The one and only. Every straight, available guy here at Kaleido Stage lusts after her."

"Clarissa, I'm sure you're exaggerating. Zoe is very pretty, but I doubt every single guy is in love with her."

"Not by much. It's the contortions she does. I'm sure they're all imagining all the dirty stuff she can do in bed. Nobody dares to actually go after her, though, since we all know that she's Kalos' and Sarah's daughter and she's underage."

"I thought that was supposed to be a secret. Sora told me she used a stage name so people wouldn't think that she got special treatment because of who her parents are."

Clarissa shrugged. "Well, it obviously didn't stay a secret for long. I learned about it a couple of days after I moved in." She straightened up, her eyes focused on something over Yume's shoulder. "Oh, your sister's back with the key."

Yume turned around. Sure enough, Sora was walking toward them, followed by a blonde, twenty-something woman Yume recognized as Marion Benigni, Kaleido Stage's star trampoline artist, as well as the girls' dorm manager.

"Yume, how nice to see you again!" Marion gushed when they made it to the door, giving Yume a hug. "I can't believe you're joining Kaleido Stage. I guess talent really must run in the Naegino family."

Yume blushed bashfully. "Sora's really the talented one in the family," she insisted, waving her hands in front of her. "I was just lucky."

"I doubt that. Kalos certainly wouldn't have hired you if he didn't think you had the talent," she said, pulling a key out of her pocket and holding it out for Yume to take. "In any case, welcome to Kaleido Stage. Here's the key to your room. As I'm sure your sister has already told you, I'm the manager of these dorms, so if you have any problems, feel free to come see me, and I'll be happy to help in any way I can. I know I have a reputation of being a bit strict around here, but my rules aren't hard to follow. As long as you don't play loud music after ten, smoke in the dorms, or let unauthorized visitors - a.k.a. boys - spend the night in your room, we'll get along great. If I do happen to catch you breaking any one of the rules, however…"

Marion didn't finish her warning, but Yume got the picture. By the fiery look in the dorm manager's eyes, she could tell it was in her best interests to follow the rules.

"You won't have to worry about Yume, Marion," Sora assured her. "She's not a trouble-maker."

"Good." Marion smiled, losing the threatening look, and looked down at her watch. "Anyway, I'm sure Sora and Clarissa here can fill you in on everything else you may need to know about life here at the dorms. I'm already late for practice, so I'll let you get settled in. By the way, the things you sent ahead came in yesterday. I went ahead and put them in your room. I hope you don't mind."

"No, that's great," Yume said, relieved to hear that her things had indeed arrived safely. "Thanks."

"No problem. See you around!"

After Marion left, Yume unlocked the door, and she, Clarissa, and Sora carried in her luggage, setting everything in the center of the room where a stack of cardboard boxes had already been piled, just like Marion had said.

The dorm itself was larger than Yume had thought it would be, almost like a small apartment, although the lack of furniture besides the bare necessities probably made it seem bigger than it really was. When they first came in, they stepped into a small living area, consisting of just a kitchenette, a round table with a set of three chairs, and a couch. The walls were painted a mellow yellow that Yume loved, and, except for a circular rug, the floors were hardwood, which was great if she wanted to work out. In the bedroom, there was a twin-sized bed pushed up against one wall, a desk along another, and a large armoire against another, along with another rug for the floor, this time square-shaped. What really impressed Yume most, though, was the fact that she had her own private bathroom. To a girl who was used to the Japanese-style of bathing at home, it was quite unusual to her.

"Wow, this is great," she breathed, taking it all in. "This is really all mine?"

"Yes, it is," Sora said, smiling as she took a seat on Yume's bed. "Boy, this place brings back memories."

Leaving her big sister to her reminiscing, Yume went over to her desk and waved Clarissa over. "Hey, help me move this over there," she said, taking one end of the desk and nodding her head toward the wall opposite. If she wanted to do any rearranging, it was best to do it now, before she started unpacking her things.

Clarissa took the other end, and, together, they lifted it up and carried it over to the other wall. Luckily, it wasn't too heavy, but Yume frowned when they set it down, deciding she didn't really like it there after all. "Maybe over there would be better," she suggested, pointing at an empty space beside the armoire.

"Yume, I'm not sure that's going to fit," Sora warned from her spot on the bed.

"It looks big enough to me."

Again, Yume and Clarissa picked up the desk, but as it turned out, Sora had been right. The desk was too wide to fit in the space.

"What do we do now?" Clarissa asked. "Move it back?"

Yume shook her head. "We'll just move the armoire. I don't really like it there anyway."

"Move the armoire? Are you crazy? That thing is huge!"

"But there's nothing in it yet. It can't be that bad."

To prove it to her, Yume went over to the side and attempted, unsuccessfully, to lift one end up. Even empty, it was too heavy to move. Deciding to change tactics, she turned around and pushed her back up against the side, trying to slide it to the other end of the wall. That, however, didn't work either.

"See?" Clarissa said, laughing and heading toward the door. "Look, if you really want to move it so badly, I'll go get Liza and drag Pilar out of bed. I'm sure they're anxious to see you again, anyway, and maybe the four of us together will be able to move it."

Yume smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten minutes later, Clarissa returned with Elizaveta and a very sleepy-headed Pilar in tow. Pilar hadn't even bothered to change out of her nightclothes, dressed in a pair of red satin pajama pants and a black tank top that said "Muy Caliente" in letters that looked as if they were on fire. Her eyes were still half-closed as she followed Clarissa into Yume's bedroom, and she nearly crashed into the doorway, saved only by Elizaveta's quick thinking.

" _Gracias_ , Liza," she mumbled after the other girl pulled her out of harm's way and guided her safely through the door.

Pilar instantly perked up, however, when she saw Yume chatting on the bed with Sora. "Yume, you're here! How long have you been here?"

Yume shrugged, looking down at her watch. "I guess about half an hour or so."

"Half an hour?" Pilar glared at Clarissa. "I thought I told you to wake me up the second she arrived!"

"Hey, I've been trying to wake you all morning! You wouldn't even budge!"

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter." Plopping down on the bed beside Yume, Pilar threw an arm around her shoulders. "Great to you see you again, _chica_. You're here for good, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"All right! The _Four Amigas_ are back together again, ready to take Kaleido Stage by storm!"

Yume giggled. "Isn't it supposed to be the _Three Amigos_?"

"Well, that doesn't exactly work for us, does it?"

"No, I suppose not," she admitted, and they both laughed.

Elizaveta, who had yet to say anything, finally spoke up. "Welcome back, Yume," she said, with less stuttering than she had the day of the auditions. Evidently, the CDs Clarissa mentioned she had been listening to were helping. "Did you have a nice flight?"

"It was okay, I guess. I slept most of the way, so I don't remember much."

"Are you tired? Maybe we should let you get some rest."

Yume shook her head. "I'm fine, really," she insisted. "Actually, I was planning to some rearranging before unpacking, and I could really use some help."

"Slave labor, huh?" Pilar teased. "So that's why you had Clarissa come get us."

"N-No! I wanted to -"

She laughed. "Yume, I was just kidding with you. Of course we'll help, right, Liza?"

Elizaveta nodded. "Right."

"Well, I'll just get out of your way then," Sora announced, standing back up. "I actually have a doctor's appointment today, so I'll see you later, Yume. It was nice to meet you girls."

"I'll walk you out," Yume said, following Sora to the door.

After she said good-bye to her sister, the four girls got to work rearranging the mini-apartment. Having two extra sets of hands certainly made things a lot easier. When everything was finally arranged to Yume's satisfaction, they took a short coffee break - luckily, a coffee maker was among the few appliances provided in the kitchenette, along with a microwave and mini-fridge - then began unpacking Yume's boxes.

"Oh, wow, you have a ton of Kaleido Stage stuff in here!" Clarissa exclaimed, opening the box of Yume's Kaleido Stage memorabilia. "Programs, ticket stubs, toys, hats, posters…" Taking out one of the posters, she pulled off the rubber band and unrolled it, whistling in appreciation. "An autographed poster of Rosetta Passel! Amazing!"

Yume, who was putting away her clothes in the armoire, smiled, remembering the day Rosetta gave that poster to her. The poster became the first of an extensive collection. "I have a lot of signed posters, actually," she said. "It's one of the perks of having a sister who is a star performer, I guess. I even have one that Coach Wong signed, back when she was still doing the trapeze."

"What about Leon Oswald?" Pilar asked, ignoring the box of CDs she was supposed to be putting away and scooting over on the floor to look through Yume's collection. "Do you have one of him?"

"Yeah, it should be in there somewhere."

"Here you go, Pilar." Clarissa handed Pilar another one of the posters she had unrolled.

"Mmm-mmm." Pilar practically drooled as she held up the poster of the man people used to call the God of Death. "That is one fine specimen of male. Such a shame that he's retired."

Using another one of the rolled-up posters, Clarissa lightly bopped Pilar on the head. "You do realize Leon Oswald has to be pushing forty now, don't you?" she teased with a roll of her eyes. "That poster has to be at least ten, fifteen years old."

Pilar shrugged, grabbing a bit of putty and placing small pieces behind each of the poster's corners. "Older guys can be hot, too, you know," she declared, and stood up. "Hey, Yume, where do you want me to hang this poster?"

"Hmm… I don't really care where you hang most of the posters," Yume said after a quick look around the room. "Just make sure the big one of Sora goes right above the headboard of my bed. That's where it's always hung."

"Right."

"What about these?" Elizaveta asked. She was sitting on Yume's bed, going through a boxed marked "Skating," which held the medals and trophies she had won over the years, along with some framed photographs and a few select stuffed animals given to her by fans, including Snowflake. It was Snowflake who caught Elizaveta's eye first; smiling, she lifted the white bear out of the box and smoothed down her dress. "How cute! Is it from a fan?"

Nodding, Yume blushed, wondering if the other girls thought it was immature of her to still collect stuffed animals. It was normal in Japan for girls to collect plushies well into their teens, but she didn't think it was as common in America or Europe. "She was the first, so she has sentimental value," she said, feeling the need to explain herself.

However, none of the other girls teased her. In fact, Elizaveta sighed, placing Snowflake against the pillow on Yume's bed. "I wish I still had my first gift from a fan," she said a little sadly. "I used to bring Pawel along to all my competitions as a good luck charm, but, a couple of years ago, I accidentally left him behind at an arena in Germany. By the time I realized he was gone, it was too late."

"My nephew took possession of mine," Pilar grumbled, joining in the conversation as she hung up another poster. "He was three at the time, and I let him play with it to shut him up one night when I was baby-sitting. What a mistake that turned out to be. The little monster fell in love with it, and neither me or my sister Mercedes were ever able to get it back."

"I still have mine," Clarissa said, "but I left it back at my parents' place back home. It's a little something for them to remember me by while I'm here." Since Pilar had unofficially taken charge of the box of Kaleido Stage paraphernalia, Clarissa joined Elizaveta on the bed to help her with Yume's skating awards. "Hey, Yume, you had a pretty successful singles career, right, before you came here to Kaleido Stage?" she asked, pulling out the gold medal Yume had won at Four Continents.

Yume shrugged. "I guess I was a bit successful," she said modestly, "but nowhere near as successful as you and Brian were." She hadn't realized it the first time that she had met Clarissa, but, when she returned back to Tokyo after the auditions, Yume had done some research on her new friends and discovered that Clarissa and her former partner Brian Sims, the two-time and reigning U.S. National pairs champions, were the American pairs team who had skated two spots behind Mikhail and Tatiana during the Olympic short program. They ended up placing fourth overall, right off the medal podium, but many felt that had they not fell on that one jump during their short program, they might have managed the silver thanks to their memorable free skate. "You actually went to the Olympics. That must have been amazing."

Clarissa blushed. "It was pretty incredible, although it would have been even better had we managed to medal."

"Why didn't you and Brian stay together until the next Olympics? You could have given it another shot."

"Yeah, I've actually been wondering that myself," Pilar confessed. "After all, with me and John gone, along with Jessica and Tim, you could have easily won Nationals for four more years." Pilar and John Gruber had been another top American couple, although the best they ever did at Nationals was a junior title in 2019 and winning the bronze in 2021. They had been unable to compete for a berth on the Olympic team last season, thanks to a groin injury on John's part that eventually led to their break-up and Pilar's decision to turn pro without him.

"Well, Brian and I had already decided before the Olympics that this past season was going to be our last," Clarissa explained. "He's graduating from college next year and wants to go onto medical school, which would be near impossible to do in conjunction with our training. I suppose I could have stayed eligible and found another partner, but you know how tough it is to find a good partner… I just wasn't up to it."

Elizaveta nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean, Clarissa." Elizaveta, like Clarissa, was a two-time national pairs champion, although in her native Poland. She and her partner had never been terribly successful in international competition, though, and they broke up two years before the Olympics due to her partner's decision to skate with an American girl. After that, Elizaveta had tried to find another partner, but couldn't and eventually retired from eligible skating.

"Anyway, I think I ultimately made the right choice," Clarissa said. "Having another chance at an Olympic medal would have been wonderful, but I'm just happy that Brian and I did as well as we did. Our free skate was the best we ever skated, so I feel like we ended our amateur career on a high note. Besides, it'll be nice to be able to skate for the pure joy of it again, instead of worrying about competitions and medals."

Yume smiled. It sounded like she and Clarissa were kindred spirits in that regard. "Yes, definitely."

Over the next few hours, the girls continued to bond over stories from their competitive careers and their lives on and off the ice as they helped Yume unpack. Pilar, who was the oldest of the group - and, therefore, had the most experience - had them all in stitches with tales of some of her former skating partners, and Yume prodded Clarissa into telling them anything and everything she remembered about her time at the Olympics. Though Elizaveta didn't speak much, still not entirely confident in her English skills, the she came alive when she talked about ballet, her second love behind figure skating, and even gave a short, impromptu performance that absolutely amazed Yume.

It was strange, but even though they had only met a little over a week ago, Yume felt as if she had known the girls all her life. For the first time in her life, she felt like a normal teenager, gossiping and laughing with her girlfriends instead of always practicing, practicing, practicing. Of course, starting tomorrow, that would change as she had her first practice as Mikhail Vladimirov's new partner, and she still had much to learn about pairs skating, but, still, it was a nice change of pace.


	8. Fooling Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translated May-speak:
> 
> Triple Twister - split triple twist  
> Broken Heaven Lift - star lift  
> Desert Mirage - camel spin, as Mikhail helpfully explained to Yume

The next morning, Yume woke up with butterflies in her stomach. Today was her first official day as Mikhail Vladimirov's partner, and she couldn't help but be nervous.

What if she and Mikhail didn't get along? What if she fell on all her jumps? What if Mikhail realized he had made a terrible mistake in choosing her - a singles skater with little experience with pairs - to be his new skating partner?

Those questions and more bounced around in Yume's head as she lay in bed long after turning off her alarm clock. She knew she ought to get up, dress, and go down to the cafeteria for breakfast, but it was if she was completely paralyzed.

"Yume, this is ridiculous," she scolded herself aloud. "You weren't even this nervous during All-Japan, so get your butt out of bed. Being late for your first official practice is no way to make a good impression on Mikhail and Coach Wong."

Reluctantly, when she realized that breakfast hours were almost over, Yume climbed out of bed and got dressed in her usual practice clothes. She then headed down to the cafeteria, grabbed the last bowl of oatmeal, and took a seat at a table with the other girls, who were finishing up their breakfast.

"There you are, Yume!" Clarissa said as Yume sat down beside her. "We were starting to worry about you. Did you forget to reset your clock to Pacific time?"

Yume shook her head. "No, nothing like that."

"Are you not feeling well?" Pilar asked. "You're looking a little pale, _chica_."

"Just nerves, that's all," Yume admitted, stirring some strawberry gel into her oatmeal, although not taking a bite. Even though she was hungry, she wasn't sure her stomach could take it.

Pilar frowned. "Why are you nervous? The audition is over. This should be the easy part."

"I just don't want to make a fool of myself in front of Mikhail. I want to prove to him that I really deserve to be his partner."

"You do deserve it, Yume," Clarissa insisted. "You don't have to prove it again. You already have."

Elizaveta nodded her agreement. "Yes, you were the best at the audition. Everybody thought so."

"Only because Mikhail didn't give you and the other girls a chance to skate to the best of your abilities," Yume pointed out. "I'm sure if Kalos hadn't insisted on having everybody improvise a pairs program, one of you would have been named Mikhail's new partner instead of me."

"I don't think so," Clarissa said with a shake of her head, shocking Yume, who privately thought that had she not been chosen, Clarissa would have been the best bet to become Mikhail's partner. "I mean, yes, you may not have been the most technically advanced pairs skater to try out, but there's something about your skating… It's difficult to define, but you definitely have it."

"Definitely," Pilar agreed. "So, don't worry about it, Yume. Just…skate. I'm sure you'll be fine."

Despite their encouraging words, Yume didn't feel any more confident than she had before. She only managed a couple of bites of her oatmeal before it was time for her and the other girls to head for the rink for their first group practice.

At the rink, most of the men were already on the ice warming-up - among them, Mikhail, who landed a textbook perfect triple toe loop just as they arrived. Even though Yume thought she saw Mikhail briefly glance in her direction after completing the jump, he didn't verbally acknowledge her presence, not even calling out a polite "good morning." Sighing, Yume sat down to put on her skates and wondered if Mikhail would ever let go of his Ice Prince persona around her, or if he really was just that cold.

"Hey, Yume," Clarissa, who was sitting beside her, said, lightly nudging Yume in the side with her elbow. "Check out the guy in the corner, the one doing crossovers."

Looking over to where Clarissa was pointing, Yume noticed for the first time a very handsome boy who appeared to be in his late teens, although how she could have missed him, Yume didn't know. The skater was very conspicuously dressed in ripped-up jeans and a tight white T-shirt that showed off his well-defined muscles instead of the sweats and tights the other male skaters wore. "Jason?" she guessed, and Clarissa grinned.

"Jealous?"

"He _is_ cute," Yume had to admit.

"Isn't he?" Going to stand at the boards, she let out a sigh. "I just wish he would think of me more than just his skating partner."

"Maybe he will, someday," Yume said, coming up beside her.

"Not as long as Zoe Alexander is around," Clarissa declared just as the man in jeans skated to a stop in front of them.

"Hey, 'Rissa, you ready to warm-up yet?" Jason asked. "Coach Wong will be here soon."

"Y-Yeah," Clarissa stuttered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I'll be right there, Jason. I just need to put my hair up."

"Cool," he said. Jason then skated off.

"Well, I guess I better get out there." After pulling her curly red hair up into a high ponytail, Clarissa stepped on the ice and performed a quick spin, the skirt of her light blue practice dress fluttering around her. "How do I look?" she asked Yume, who gave her an encouraging smile.

"Gorgeous."

"Thanks, Yume."

By that time, Elizaveta and Pilar had already joined their respective partners on the ice, and the last two people to arrive - Dominique and another male skater Yume presumed to be Dominique's new partner - were putting on their skates. Mikhail had yet to call her over to join him, so Yume decided to warm-up on her own.

 _What is with that guy?_ she wondered, watching Mikhail pull off a beautiful triple axel - a jump that most pairs skaters, male or female, never even attempted - in the middle of the ice. _Show-off. If he really wasn't interested in skating with anybody but Tatiana Pekrovskaya, he should have just switched to singles. He has all the triple jumps…_

Her thoughts were interrupted when somebody turned off the music that had been playing in the background. Everybody else had begun to form a line in the center of the rink, so Yume followed suit, taking the spot at the right end of the line beside Mikhail. She smiled at him, hoping to break the ice between them, so to speak, but he only gave her a curt nod of acknowledgment in return.

"Everybody here?" May, who had skated onto the ice, asked, coming to a stop when she noticed Yume at the end of the line. "Ah, Yume, good to see you again. It appears we finally have the whole group together," she said. "It's about time. Kalos has just announced the dates for the show, so we all have our work cut out for us if we want to be ready in time."

"When is opening day, Coach Wong?" the man standing between Pilar and Clarissa asked. From his similar accent, Yume deduced that he must be Sergei, Pilar's partner and Mikhail's fellow countryman.

"July 29th, which only leaves us only about four months to prepare. Mia Guillem, Kaleido Stage's head director and choreographer, is currently working on the script and has informed me that she may be stopping by unannounced from time to time in order to observe you, so I expect everybody to skate their best at all times. Got it?"

Everyone nodded their understanding.

"Good. Now, since today is Yume's and Mikhail's first day of skating together, I will primarily be working with them during this session," May explained. "I want the rest of you to work on your own. Sergei and Pilar, you two need to work on your Triple Twister; it's not nearly high enough. Elizaveta, you and Dmitri should work on consistently landing your side-by-side jumps. Sebastien and Dominique, practice your pairs spins, and Jason and Clarissa, I want you to continue working on the Broken Heaven Lift from last week, so, everyone, get to work."

As the group once again broke up into pairs to start their assignments, a confused Yume wondered what in the world a Triple Twister and a Broken Heaven Lift was. She may have only recently switched to pairs, but she knew enough about the discipline to know those weren't official names. However, before she had a chance to watch the other pairs and find out, May loudly cleared her throat.

"Now, Yume, I trust you were able to keep up with your practicing while you were in Japan?" she asked as Yume turned back around to give her new coach her undivided attention.

She nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I managed to add a throw double axel to my jumps, but I'm afraid that's all I was able to master while I was gone."

"That's good enough. A throw triple toe and a double axel will do for the show."

Yume's eyes widened, surprised by the announcement. May couldn't possibly be serious, could she? Mikhail and Tatiana were known for pushing the envelope when it came to the technical aspects of the sport. Even if May thought two throw jumps were sufficient for the show, there was no way Mikhail could be happy with such a decision.

"You mean you aren't going to teach me any more throw jumps?"

"Like I said, Kalos wants the show to open at the end of July, Yume. It would be a waste of our time. You two won't be competing, so there's no need to up the difficulty of your throw jumps at this time. To the audience, one throw jump is as good as another, and we already have the other pairs to try the more difficult throws."

"But -" Yume looked over at new partner, expecting Mikhail to object, but he remained strangely silent on the matter, letting May answer for him.

"Mikhail and I have already discussed this, and he agrees with me. We knew when we chose you to be his new partner that you, a singles skater, would not be as technically advanced as Tatiana when it came to pairs moves," May said. "That being said, that does not mean we are going to take the easy way out. You two may not be doing the most difficult throws, but I will expect you to perform the toughest side-by-side jumps, the fastest footwork, the most creative spins, and death-defying lifts. Can you do that?"

"I-I'll try…" Yume stuttered, again looking over at Mikhail. He did not look impressed. "I mean, yes, I will," she said more confidently, not wanting Mikhail to think badly of her. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this a show nobody will ever forget."

"Good. But, first, before we can begin learning the tricks, you two need to work on the basics, especially your unison. Let me see a Desert Mirage."

"A Desert-what?"

"She means side-by-side camel spins," Mikhail explained, speaking to Yume for the first time. "Come on, let's go."

"R-Right."

The two of them skated to the center of the ice and began doing the so-called "Desert Mirage". It soon became obvious that they were woefully out of sync. "Yume, show down a little," May called out. "Try to match Mikhail's spin."

Doing as asked, Yume slowed down her spin in an attempt go at Mikhail's pace.

"Now that's too slow! Start again."

They both stopped their spins and began anew.

"No, no, no!" May shouted. "You're too far apart, and, Yume, you're still going too fast. Come over here and watch Mikhail's spin."

Sighing as she pulled out of her camel spin, Yume wondered why May didn't just suggest that Mikhail try to spin faster to better match with her, instead of the other way around, but she thought it best not to argue and skated over beside their coach as Mikhail restarted his spin.

"See…this…is…the…tempo…of…Mikhail's…spin," May said, snapping her fingers. "You…must…match…it…before…we…try…faster. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand," Yume said.

"Good." Just then, Dominique yelled for May to come watch her and Sebastien's pair spin. "Okay, I'm going to see what Dominique wants. You two, practice the spin on your own."

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After dinner, Yume headed up to her dorm room, more sore than she ever remembered being in her entire life. She and Mikhail had spent hours on the ice working on their unison, plus another hour or so working on weight training, which Yume had not expected. She could understand why Mikhail needed to build up his muscles, because he was the one who did the lifting, but May insisted she needed to build up her upper body strength as well.

"And tomorrow I start yoga and ballet lessons as well," she sighed as she pulled out her key and unlocked the door to her room.

Upon entering the dorm, Yume tossed her gym bag on the coach, headed to the bathroom to prepare her bath, and began taking off her clothes. A nice, hot soak was just what she needed to soothe her aching muscles, and she sighed in contentment as she submerged herself in the water, closing her eyes as she sat back and relaxed. She could already feel the pain melting away.

As Yume soaked, her thoughts turned to that day's practice. Yume thought they had done fairly well for their first day of skating together as a pair, but Mikhail had been as unsociable as he had been the day of the audition, barely saying a word to her all day long except to tell her to spin faster or jump higher. She tried talking to him during breaks, hoping that they might at least become casual friends, but he clearly wasn't interested in friendship, only seeing her as a business partner.

It really shouldn't have bothered her so much, but it did. All the other pairs seemed to click so well together, both on and off the ice. Pilar and Sergei had already become the best of friends, Elizaveta said Dmitri was like the older brother she always wished she had, and even though Jason was completely oblivious to Clarissa's crush on him, the two of them seemed to get along very well until Zoe Alexander happened to come by during one of their breaks to give May a message from her father. Clarissa had not been lying when she claimed he had the hots for Zoe; Jason couldn't take his eyes off of the pretty contortionist the entire time she was there, brief as it was. It was as if Clarissa had become completely invisible to him.

Even Dominique and her new partner Sebastien seemed to have a strange like/hate relationship, despite her failed attempts to steal Sergei away from Pilar. Sebastien was French-Canadian, so the two of them liked to speak French together, which drove May crazy since she couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. She was forever reminding them to use English, but ten minutes after promising they would, they were back to French, probably to hide the fact that they were cussing each other out - at least according to Clarissa, who had taken French in school and could understand some of what they were saying.

Yume almost thought she would prefer even that to the cold indifference she got from Mikhail. Maybe it was the language barrier. Mikhail seemed to understand English, and he spoke it fairly well whenever he did speak, but maybe the reason why he didn't talk much was because he wasn't confident in his English skills. She could certainly understand that. When she first started learning English, she hated having to speak it in front of other people, afraid that she would make some dumb mistake and embarrass herself.

Deciding she would give Mikhail a few more days to warm up to her before completely writing his friendship off, Yume got out of the tub, wrapped a fluffy towel around herself, and started combing her wet hair in front of the mirror, humming a song they had skated to in practice to herself.

"Well, you certainly aren't the next Sarah Dupont, that's for sure," a male voice said, startling Yume and causing her to drop her comb in surprise.

Immediately, she looked up at her foggy mirror, and, upon seeing the reflection of a doll-sized man hovering over her left shoulder, Yume screamed.

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"Yume!" Pilar shouted, pounding on the door. "Yume, are you all right in there?"

Yume, ignoring the little man, ran out of the bathroom and answered the door. "Oh, Pilar!" she said, struggling to catch her breath. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

Pilar frowned, a concerned look in her dark eyes. "I was just walking by on the way to my room, and I thought I heard you scream. Are you okay?"

 _Okay?_ Of course she wasn't okay! She had just seen a tiny man floating in mid-air in her bathroom; that certainly wasn't okay. However, aware of how crazy that would sound to Pilar if she told her the truth, Yume quickly came up with a cover story. "I'm fine," she insisted, forcing out a fake laugh. "Silly me. I just slipped on some water when I was getting out of the tub, and it surprised me, that's all. I wasn't hurt."

"Are you sure?"

"Really, I'm okay."

"Well, that's good," Pilar said, smiling. "I'm glad, but be more careful next time. Coach Wong will freak if you twist your ankle or break your leg."

"I will. Thanks for checking up on me."

"No prob. See you in the morning!"

Pilar turned around, but before she could leave to go back to her room next door, Yume grabbed her arm. "Hey, Pilar," Yume said, "um…right before I screamed, did you, by any chance, happen to hear a male voice?"

"A male voice?" Pilar raised an eyebrow. "Yume, do you have a guy in there? Is he what made you scream?"

Yume felt her entire body blush at the implication. "What? No!"

"Oh, really?" Her curiosity piqued, Pilar attempted to peek over Yume's shoulder into the room. "Who is this guy? I want to meet him."

"Pilar, I'm telling you, there is nobody else in here," Yume declared, regretting ever asking Pilar about the voice. "You know Marion doesn't allow boys to spend the night in the girls' dorms, not that any guy would want -"

"Uh-huh, sure. Whatever you say, Yume," Pilar said. It was clear from the amused tone in her voice that she did not believe Yume's story one bit. "Well, then, I'll let you, ahem, get back to whatever you were doing. Alone. All by yourself."

"There isn't anybody else here!"

"Did I say there was?"

With that, Pilar winked and headed back to her own room next door. Shaking her head, Yume sighed and went back inside to change into her nightclothes.

 _If Pilar didn't hear him, he must have been a figment of my imagination_ , she thought to herself as she dressed. _Yes, that's it! I just imagined -_

"Can you see me?"

Her thoughts broken by the same male voice as before, Yume opened her mouth to scream again, but caught herself just in time. Instead, she quickly pulled down her over-sized nightshirt and turned around to come face-to-face with the doll-sized man once again.

"You pervert! Who do you think you are, you Peeping Tom?"

"Actually, my name is Fool," he corrected, giving her a grand bow, "and I am the Spirit of the Stage."

"I don't care who you are, because you are just -" Yume suddenly stopped in the middle of her tirade, remembering something. "Wait, what did you say you were again?"

"The Spirit of the Stage. Your elder sister Sora must have mentioned me to you before?"

Feeling faint, Yume sat down on her bed, her eyes wide and her mouth dropped in disbelief. Sora had indeed told her stories when she was a little girl about a Spirit of the Stage named Fool who only Sora had the ability to see, but Yume had thought they were just that: fun stories to entertain her kid sister. Yume never honestly believed Fool existed, yet, there he was, standing before her as clear as day.

"I-I can't believe this," Yume finally stuttered after a long silence. "You really, truly exist?"

"Your name is Yume, isn't it?" Fool asked. He ignored her question, looking around the room at all her skating memorabilia. "It isn't often that I appear to a figure skater."

"That's right. I thought you only appeared to trapeze artists." She said it as more of an accusation than a question.

"No, no. It's true I appear most often to trapeze artists, but every once in a while, other types of performers can see me."

"And I'm one of them…" Yume breathed, shaking her head when she realized what that meant. "No, this can't be right. I'm nobody special. I'm just a beginner in pairs skating who somehow ended up becoming partners with an Olympic champion."

"That may be true, but the fact that you can see me means that you were chosen for the stage."

Yume stood back up and began pacing around the bedroom. "This is absolutely ridiculous," she muttered to herself. "This cannot be happening. I must be dreaming. That's it, I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming, and I'll prove it." She stopped in the middle of the room and painfully pinched her arm. "Ouch! Dammit, it's not a dream."

"You need to calm down, Yume. Why don't you lay down on the bed and I'll give you a nice, soothing massage - Hey!"

"You really are as perverted as my sister claimed," she said, grabbing Fool by his midsection and tossing him in her armoire. "There!"

Satisfied, Yume then crawled into bed, hoping that when she woke up the next morning, she would discover it really was all just a dream.


	9. An Annoyance And A Request

Yume awoke the next morning to discover that the so-called Spirit of the Stage had disappeared from the armoire. She was glad, but as she headed down to the cafeteria for breakfast, Yume couldn't help but wonder if maybe the whole thing had been real after all. Even though Fool was gone and there was no sign that he had ever been in her room, if she remembered correctly, Sora had told her he liked to come and go as he pleased, usually popping back up when she was in the middle of undressing. What if he showed up again?

"Yume, you are cracking up," she muttered to herself as she carried her tray to the table where the other girls were sitting. "An ecchi-minded Spirit of the Stage? It's ridiculous! There's no such thing."

Determined to put Fool out of her mind, Yume took the empty seat beside Elizaveta, oblivious to the strange, curious looks her friends were giving her. "Hey, guys, what's up?" she asked, opening her small carton of milk.

"It sounds like we should be the ones asking you that, Yume," Clarissa said, a knowing smile on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"You know…"

"No, actually I don't," Yume said, wondering what in the world was going on with her friends. By that time, she had noticed Pilar and Elizaveta wearing the same inquisitive looks as Clarissa, their breakfasts forgotten as they focused all their attention on her. "Seriously, what are you talking about, Clarissa?"

Clarissa rolled her eyes. "Your boyfriend, of course, silly! Pilar told us you two had a wild night last night in the bathtub."

Yume nearly spit out her milk in surprise. "W-What?" she exclaimed. It took her a few seconds to recall her conversation with Pilar the previous night. Sighing, she turned to the blabbermouth and said, "Pilar, I _told_ you I did _not_ have a guy in my room last night."

"You mean it isn't true?" Elizaveta asked, looking a bit relieved. "I knew you weren't that kind of girl, Yume."

Pilar, however, still was not convinced. "If you didn't have a guy in there, then why did you ask me if I had heard a male voice?" she asked smugly.

"I…uh…I…"

Unfortunately, Yume couldn't think of a logical answer to give them. After all, she could hardly tell them that she may have been visited by a perverted spirit of the stage, could she? They would think she was nuts.

"See?" Pilar teased.

"It's really not what you're thinking." Thinking quickly, she came up with a cover story, basing it loosely on the truth. "I just thought I had a Peeping Tom. That's the real reason I screamed. I was getting dressed after taking a bath, and I thought I heard somebody outside my window."

"Oh, Yume!" Clarissa brought a hand up to her mouth. "Did you see him? You have to tell Marion."

"It's okay. It turned out it was just a false alarm."

"Are you sure? It might be a good idea to report it anyway, just to be on the safe side."

"I'm positive," Yume insisted. "It was just somebody on the TV. I forgot I had it on, that's all." Deciding it best to change subjects, she asked, "So, is there any word yet on what show we're going to be putting on?"

That did the trick. The four of them discussed the rumors about the new show through the rest of breakfast, and after they were done, Yume and Clarissa headed to their yoga class. Elizaveta had an advanced ballet class, while Pilar and Sergei were having a private lesson with May.

"You want to set our mats up over there?" Clarissa asked when they arrived, pointing to an empty area near the middle of the room.

"That's fine with me." As she followed Clarissa to the spot, Yume looked around at the other people in their class. "Wow, there are a lot of men in this class. I didn't realize guys were that into yoga. Is this a required class for the other performers?"

Blue eyes rolled, and Clarissa jerked her head to the side. "Not exactly. Look at the front row."

Yume turned her attention to the front of the room, where she saw Zoe Alexander performing a few warm-up stretches before class started. The talented contortionist was completely surrounded by men, all staring at Zoe as if she was some kind of movie star. Zoe, for her part, seemed totally oblivious to the attention.

"Oh."

"Jason has this class, too," Clarissa admitted, looking around the room for her partner. He had just come through the door and was looking for a place to set up his mat. "Jason, come set up over here by me and Yume!" she called out, waving him over.

Jason didn't immediately join them, obviously looking for a spot near Zoe, but when he realized there weren't any empty spots open, he came over and set his mat right behind Clarissa's. "Hey, 'Rissa, what's up?"

"Nothing much. You remember Yume, don't you? She's Mikhail's partner."

Jason gave Yume a friendly smile. "Oh, yeah, hi, Yume," he said, sitting down on his mat. "So, you're in this class, too?"

Yume nodded. "Coach Wong thinks it'll improve my flexibility."

"Yeah, it's good for that," he said, his eyes focused on Zoe, who was curled up in some impossible pose that no mere mortal could ever hope to replicate. "Very good…"

Sighing, Clarissa looked over at Yume and shook her head in defeat. "I am invisible. Absolutely invisible."

At that point, the teacher arrived and began class. Though Yume had always considered herself to be a fairly flexible person, she quickly learned that yoga wasn't quite as easy as she originally thought it would be.

Of course, Zoe Alexander had no such problems, easily getting into the most difficult and advanced poses as if her entire body was made out of rubber. Jason was only one of many drooling admirers of the beautiful contortionist; Yume noticed most of her male classmates staring at Zoe, including a certain perverted Spirit of the Stage, who suddenly appeared out of the corner of her eye, nearly causing Yume to topple over from her precarious position.

"What a beautiful, graceful form! Those legs! That body! She's a goddess on Earth!"

"What are you doing here, Fool?" Yume asked in a loud whisper. It appeared last night had not been a dream after all, much to her dismay. "I thought you had gone back to whatever fantasy world you came from!"

Clarissa looked over at Yume, confused. "Yume, who are you talking to?"

"Nobody!" Yume said, faking a laugh when she realized that if what Sora had told her about Fool was true, she was the only one who could see him. "I was just talking to myself. It's a habit of mine."

"Okay…"

Luckily, at that moment, the teacher told them to switch positions to one that allowed Yume to talk to Fool more discreetly. She glared at the Spirit of the Stage.

"Fool, why are you here?" she demanded to know in a softer whisper than before.

"I would think that much was obvious." Though she couldn't see who he was staring at, Yume knew it was Zoe. "Oh, why couldn't I have appeared to someone like her?"

"Well, excuse me for not being blonde, tan, and inhumanly flexible," she huffed. "Seriously, though, why are you following me around?"

Fool finally stopped drooling over Zoe and turned his attention to Yume. "I need to talk to you. Because of your rudeness last night -"

"Me? Rude? Who was it that snuck into my bathroom and nearly gave me a heart attack, you Peeking Tom?"

Pretending not hear her interruption, he continued. "- I didn't get the chance to tell you why I appeared to you."

"Isn't it because I'm supposedly 'destined for the stage,' whatever that is supposed to mean?"

"Yes, that's part of it, but -"

The teacher again announced a position change.

"Look, Fool, I'm kind of busy now," Yume said through her teeth, her voice strained as she struggle to achieve the difficult pose. "Can't this wait until later? When nobody else is around?"

"Fine," he said, flying off.

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After their yoga class was over, Yume, Clarissa, and Jason began gathering their things, the two partners discussing their next private lesson with May while Yume looked around for any sign of Fool. Even though he had left, there was no telling when the little pipsqueak would pop up next. So intent was she on making sure Fool was nowhere to be found, Yume didn't even notice when somebody came up behind her.

"Excuse me, but are you Yume Naegino?" a girl asked, tapping Yume on the shoulder.

Startled, Yume turned around, surprised to see Zoe Alexander standing right behind her. Jason, also noticing Zoe's presence, immediately lost interest in his conversation with Clarissa.

"Um, yes, I'm Yume…" Yume said, wondering what business the contortionist had with her.

Zoe smiled brightly. "I thought so! It's no nice to finally meet you, Yume," she said, offering Yume her hand. "I'm Zoe Alexander, and I am a huge fan of yours."

"You are?" That certainly was a shock. Yume didn't think many Americans knew who she was, much less considered themselves a fan of hers.

Clarissa, obviously annoyed by the way Jason kept staring at Zoe, tugged on his T-shirt and looked down at her watch. "Hey, Jason, we better get going if we don't want to face the wrath of Coach Wong."

"What?" he asked, dazed.

"Practice?" With a roll of her eyes, Clarissa began pulling his arm, leading him toward the door. "Come on."

Once they had left, Zoe frowned. "I don't think Clarissa likes me very much."

"Oh, um, I'm sure you're just imagining things," Yume said, tossing her duffel bag over her shoulder in preparation to leave for her next lesson. She knew better than to get involved in whatever love triangle there was brewing between Clarissa, Zoe, and Jason. "What did you mean before about being a fan of mine?" she asked instead, bringing the subject back up. "Are you a skating fan?"

"Well, no, not exactly. I mean, I like watching the skating events at the Olympics, but it's not like I'm a serious spectator or anything like that," she said, following Yume out of the room. "However, I loved your audition tape. I never saw anything so incredible! You were amazing!"

"Really? But I made so many mistakes in the beginning…"

"That's what made it so much more inspiring. You probably knew you didn't have a chance to make the Olympic team after falling on that…triple axel?" Yume nodded. "Yet you didn't let that stop you from putting on a great performance. I really admired that, and it reminded me of your sister, Sora. She's the same way."

"Thank you." Yume blushed at the compliment. She still thought she had a long way to go before she was anything like Sora, but it was nice to hear all the same. "How did you manage to see my audition tape, though?" she asked Zoe. "I thought only the owner, May, and Mikhail watched it."

"Oh, I guess you don't know yet, do you? Weird, I thought Sora would have told you, at least, since everybody else already seems to know who I really am. Actually, Zoe Alexander is just my stage name," she confessed. "My full name is Zoe Alexandra Eido. I'm Kalos' and Sarah's daughter, so I guess you could say I have some family connections." Rubbing the back of her neck, Zoe bashfully laughed. "That's how I managed to see your audition tape."

"Oh, I see." Sora and Clarissa had already told her the truth about Zoe's parentage, of course, but she didn't bother correcting Zoe's assumption.

As they turned a corner, Zoe began waving to somebody walking ahead of them. "Hey, Becca! Come over here," she called out. Turning to Yume, she asked, "Have you met Rebecca Thomas, yet?"

Yume nodded. "We met the day of the auditions, actually. My sister introduced us."

"What's going on, Zoe?" Becca asked, catching up to them. She grinned when she saw Yume. "Oh, hi, Yume! You're back!"

"Yes, I've been back since Sunday, this time for good."

"It's great to see you again. We should definitely hang out some time."

"I'd like that," Yume said sincerely.

"Unfortunately, that will have to wait. Zoe and I have an aerobics class to attend, and we're already cutting it close."

Zoe sighed and made a face. "Can't we skip aerobics today, Becca? I hate doing aerobics!"

"You say that that every day." Rolling her eyes, Becca grabbed Zoe by the elbow. "Come on, let's go. See you later, Yume!"

"Yeah, later," Zoe echoed forlornly.

"Bye!" Yume said, waving them off before heading to her own lesson.

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Yume had her first private lesson with Mikhail and May after lunch. Since she was feeling a bit apprehensive, she decided to head to the rink a bit early to warm-up and work off her nerves. Nobody else was there when she arrived, or at least so she thought at first.

"Well, I do have to admit your skating is much better than your singing," a voice that was becoming all too familiar said after Yume pulled off a triple lutz in the center of the ice.

Sighing, Yume came to a stop and placed her hands on her hips. Sure enough, the Spirit of the Stage had appeared to her once again. "Fool, what are you doing here?" she demanded to know, glaring up at him. "I thought I told you to leave me alone when I'm having lessons.

Fool looked around at the empty ice rink. "You and I are the only ones around. Nobody else is here yet.

"They will be soon, and I'd rather Coach Wong and Mikhail didn't walk in on me, looking like I'm talking to myself. I don't want them to think I'm crazy." To herself, she mumbled, "Although I'm beginning to doubt my sanity myself."

"Did you say something, Yume?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Hiding her embarrassment, Yume pulled off another jump, then skated over to the boards to get a drink of water. "Okay, so what is it you've been so anxious to tell me, Fool?" she asked, hoping that if he had the chance to tell her, he would leave her alone for the rest of the day.

"Do you realize the significance of my appearing to you?"

Yume shrugged. "To be honest, not really. I still think you've made some kind of mistake. If you should be appearing to anybody, it should be Mikhail. He _is_ the current Olympic champion, after all."

"Well, why don't we put your hypothesis to the test then?"

Just then, the doors behind them opened, and Mikhail and May entered the rink. Before Yume could stop him, Fool began flying straight toward them.

"Fool!" Yume shouted, realizing too late how she must look.

May raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Yume, but may I ask who you are calling a fool?"

Forgetting for the moment that she was in America, Yume bowed in apology. "Sorry! I, uh, fell on a jump, so I was just lecturing myself," she said, slapping herself on the head for good measure. "Stupid Yume! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Okay…" May gave Yume a strange look, then turned to Mikhail. "Mikhail, go put on your skates and start warming-up. I want to have a talk with Yume before we begin. Yume, come over here please."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Yume skated over to where May was standing, watching Mikhail sit down and change into his skates. Though Fool was floating right in front of his face, Mikhail appeared completely oblivious to his presence. Yume frowned.

 _I guess Mikhail can't see him, after all,_ she thought to herself, coming to a stop in front of May. "You wanted to see me, Coach?"

"Yes. It's kind of a continuation of what we talked about yesterday." May briefly glanced over at Mikhail, who wasn't paying attention to them at all, before she continued. "I got the feeling you were surprised when I said there was no need for you to learn the more difficult throw jumps before the opening of the show. Am I right?"

Yume nodded. "Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise to me, I guess," she said. "Mikhail is such a great technician, and he and Tatiana Pekrovskaya brought the sport to new athletic heights when they were together." She paused. "Actually, I'm kind of shocked he picked someone like me to become his new partner."

"I was, too," May admitted. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you were by far the best at the auditions, but it was definitely an unorthodox way to choose a pairs partner. I still don't know what Kalos was thinking when he suggested it." She rolled her eyes. "You _were_ the number one choice of everybody on the committee, but the final decision ultimately was left to Mikhail. I expected we would have to talk him into choosing you, yet he was surprisingly agreeable to the idea."

"Really?" It was difficult to tell by the way he had treated her so far. Yume had wondered more than once if Mikhail had been forced by Kalos and the others to choose her over one of the more talented girls. "Why?"

"You'd have to ask him that. As I'm sure you've realized by now, he's not exactly the most open person in the world." That was definitely an understatement. "Still, I'm glad it was you. Yume, I want you to do something for me."

"Yes?"

"I want you to teach Mikhail how to perform," the coach said, causing Yume's eyes to widen.

"Me? B-But how - I don't -"

"There is no doubt that Mikhail is a technically talented skater." May again glanced over at Mikhail. He had finished putting on his skates and was in the middle of his warm-up, landing a beautiful triple loop in the middle of the ice. Fool was still trying to catch his attention, with no luck. "In fact, he may just be one of the greatest male pairs skaters to ever live in regards to his athletic ability. There's nobody who throws his partners higher or with more power, and he's absolutely solid when it comes to his side-by-side elements. In the six years I've coached him and Tatiana, I have only seen him fall once in competition, when he stupidly decided to skate while battling the flu.

'But if Mikhail has one major fault, it's that he fails to engage the audience when he performs. It's like he skates on auto-pilot; there's no joy to it. All he cares about is nailing the technical aspect of his skating, and that's not going to cut it if he's going to become a star here at Kaleido Stage. I know from personal experience that it doesn't matter what difficult maneuvers you do if it doesn't entertain the audience. Your sister taught me that, and I've always been grateful to her - although if I find out you told Sora I said that, I'll have you skate a hundred laps around this rink."

Yume resisted the urge to crack a smile. May and Sora might have been great rivals when May first joined Kaleido Stage as a teenager and tried to upstage Sora, but Yume knew they were now close friends.

"It was my idea for Mikhail to join Kaleido Stage," May continued. "He was ready to give up skating altogether when Tatiana decided to end their relationship on-and-off the ice, but I hated the thought of him wasting his talent. He has never reached his full potential, and I knew that even if he didn't regret quitting at first, he would later in life. That's just the way he is, and that's why I'm glad someone like you is his new partner."

"But I don't know how I can teach Mikhail how to perform. Even if I offered to help him, I doubt he would appreciate it. He doesn't seem the type "

"Probably not," the coach agreed. "Just…be yourself, teach him by example. Even during practices, skate like you're putting on a show, and maybe some of your energy will rub off on him."

"Well, I can try…"

"I'm sure you can do it."

After giving Yume a pat on the shoulder, May called Mikhail back over and informed him that they would be focusing on their throw jumps for the day. Yume, remembering May's request, smiled at him, but he only grunted in response, gliding to the center of the ice to begin. She sighed as she joined him, barely even noticing when Fool disappeared.

Melting the Ice Prince was going to be even more difficult than she thought.


	10. Family Dinner

"Ugh, he is impossible!" Yume growled upon returning to her dorm room after practice to clean up before dinner.

She knew she had resolved to give Mikhail a little more time to warm up to her, but the Ice Prince was seriously trying her patience. Not only was he unfriendly, whenever he did deign to talk to her, the only thing he had to say to her was criticism. Yume knew that her throw jumps were not fully consistent yet, but rolling his eyes every time she fell or two-footed a jump was not constructive. She even suspected he was insulting her whenever she heard him muttering something in his native language, although she couldn't be certain.

May must have been lying when she said Mikhail had wanted her to be his new partner. By all appearances, he couldn't stand Yume. The committee must have forced him to partner with her, and that had to be the reason why he was treating her so terribly. No other explanation made sense.

But Yume wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. They were set to headline Kaleido Stage's next show, so somehow or another, they had to learn to get along.

How they were going to do that, she had no idea.

Sora had invited Yume over to her house for dinner with their parents, so putting Mikhail out of her mind for the moment, she stripped out of her practice clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Just as she was about to step under the water, however, Fool - rather predictably - made a reappearance.

Not wanting a repeat performance of last night's conversation with Pilar, Yume quickly grabbed a large towel to cover herself and hissed, "Fool, get out of here!"

"You're such a spoilsport."

"I don't care. Out. Now."

"You know, I'm beginning to think -"

He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence before Yume grabbed Fool and threw him out of the bathroom. She didn't know whether or not he had the ability to walk through walls like a ghost, but she made certain to lock the door behind her anyway before resuming her shower.

When she had finished, Yume securely wrapped the towel around herself and took a cautious look outside the door. Fool was still there, much to her irritation.

"Do you mind? I need to get dressed."

"No, go right on ahead," he said, outstretching his arm in a gallant fashion.

Yume again grabbed him by the midsection and looked around her bedroom as he struggled to break free of her grasp. Her eyes landed on her desk. "That'll do," she said, dumping the perverted doll in the bottom drawer and locking it for good measure.

Ignoring Fool's pounding and shouting from inside the desk drawer, she quickly got dressed. Though she was tempted to leave without releasing him, Yume reluctantly unlocked the drawer and pulled it out.

"That was not nice," Fool said, glaring at Yume as he floated up out of the drawer. "I could have died in there!"

"You don't look like you are gasping for breath."

"Well, that's because I don't actually need to breathe. You weren't aware of that, though."

Yume rolled her eyes and stood back up from her kneeling position. "Whatever. I released you, so go bug somebody else for a change. I don't have time for this. I'm having dinner with my family tonight, and I'm already running late."

"A family dinner, huh?" Fool rubbed at his chin. "I wonder if your sister still has the ability to see me. It would be nice to see her again…"

"If that is your none-too-subtle way of asking if you can come with me, the answer is no."

"Why not? It's not like anyone else will be able to see me."

"Because - Because…"

"See, you can't even come up with a reason why I shouldn't go. It's settled, then. I'm coming with you."

"Argh, fine!" Yume said, throwing her hands up in surrender. "It's not like I can stop you anyway. Just don't expect me to talk to you. I don't want my parents to think I'm crazy, too."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sora and Ken's house wasn't far from Kaleido Stage, just few blocks away, so Yume decided to walk, pointedly ignoring Fool whenever he tried to engage her in conversation since there were people around. When they reached the house about ten minutes later, Yume took a moment to remind Fool the condition behind his being allowed to come.

"Remember, no talking to me unless we're alone or with Sora."

"I know, I know. You don't have to worry. My lips are sealed."

Not exactly sure if she should believe him, Yume nevertheless pushed the button for the doorbell. It was Sora herself who answered the door.

"Yume, there you are! We were -" Sora stopped short upon noticing Fool floating in the air behind Yume's left shoulder, her eyes widening slightly. "Ah, I see you've brought a guest for dinner," she said with a amused smile once she got over her surprise.

Fool bowed. "Sora, always a pleasure to see you again, and may I just say you are looking positively luminescent?"

"Please, I feel like I have a volleyball in my stomach." She rubbed a hand over her rounded tummy.

"Nonsense. I've always found the pregnant female body quite alluring."

"You find all female bodies alluring, Fool," Sora said with a roll of her eyes. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you too much, Yume."

"Who has been bothering Yume?" their father asked, frowning as he came up behind Sora. "A boy?"

He didn't seem too pleased with the idea.

"It's not like that, otou-san," Yume said. She came in and gave her father a hug. "I've just been having some trouble getting along with my new partner, that's all." At least that part was true. "Sorry, I'm late, but practice ran a little long today."

"Your mother and I are just happy we get to see you at all. You've been so busy these last couple of days, we've barely had the chance to see you."

"I'm sorry," she apologized again as the three of them - four, counting Fool - entered the living room where her mother and Hana were playing a card game.

"Aunt Yume!" The moment Yume stepped into the room, Hana threw down her cards and ran over to hug her. "Come play with us!" she said, pulling on Yume's arm. "We're playing _Go Fish_! I learned it today at school."

"Hana, your father is almost finished preparing dinner, so why don't you go wash up?" Sora gently suggested. "You can continue your card game after dinner."

"Do I hafta, Mama?"

"Yes, you do."

"Okay…" Letting out a loud sigh, the little girl obediently trudged to the downstairs bathroom to wash up.

"She's been wanting to play _Go Fish_ non-stop ever since she came home," Sora said. "Be prepared for a _Go Fish_ marathon after we eat."

"I'll consider myself warned," Yume said. "So Ken-san is cooking tonight?"

"He wanted us to experience an authentic 'American-style barbeque' while we were here," their mother answered for Sora, coming over to greet Yume with a hug. "But, mainly, I think your big sister just had a craving for potato salad. She's been sneaking into the kitchen every ten minutes or so to steal a bite out of the bowl."

"I have not!"

Their mother smiled and reached over to wipe something away from the corner of Sora's mouth. "You might be more believable if you didn't have a little piece of potato salad stuck on your face, dear."

"Well, I might have taken just a _few_ bites for tasting…"

Everyone, including Sora, laughed. A few minutes later, Ken, wearing a "Kiss The Cook" apron over his clothes, came inside to announce that dinner was ready, so they all followed him to the backyard.

Though it was nearing evening, somebody had hung paper lanterns from the trees and placed candles on the wooden picnic table where they would be eating, giving them enough light to see. A slightly smoky, but pleasant, smell filled the air, and the table was covered in a variety of traditional barbeque foods.

"Everything smells delicious, Ken-san," Yume's father said as they took their seats at the table.

"Thank you. I hope everyone enjoys it."

On one side of the table, Yume sat between Sora and their mother. Hana insisted on sitting directly across from her aunt, leaving the men to take the seats in front of their respective wives. Fool, of course, remained floating in the air between Sora and Yume, silent, but drooling over the array of food.

 _Do Spirits of the Stage even need to eat?_ Yume wondered, feeling a smidge bit guilty as she loaded up her plate. Normally, she was more selective about what she ate, but since it was a special occasion, she gave herself permission to indulge.

Taking pity on Fool, Yume waited until everybody's attention was elsewhere to tear off a piece of rib and throw it on the ground.

"You are aware I am not a dog, are you not?" Fool said sardonically, speaking for the first time since they came inside the house.

Yume couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, excuse me for trying to be nice," she muttered, hiding her mouth behind her napkin. "I can't exactly hand a piece of food to somebody who isn't there. Do you even eat?"

"It's not required, no, but I do enjoy having a taste every once in a while."

"Fine." Yume tore off another piece of meat and discreetly moved her hand underneath the table to give it to Fool. "Here."

"Yume, how are things at Kaleido Stage?" her mother asked, startling Yume. "Are you getting along well with your new partner?"

"Seems like they've been having a few problems," her father said. "She mentioned it when she arrived."

"It's nothing major, really." The last thing Yume wanted was her parents to worry about her. "We just need to work out a few kinks, that's all." Not wanting to think about Mikhail, Yume changed the subject. "So, Sora, do you know if you're having a boy or a girl yet?"

Before Sora could answer, the ringtone on somebody's cell phone went off. "Sorry, that's me," her father said, getting up from the table after checking the caller ID. "Excuse me, but I have to take this."

Yume's mother frowned. "Chikara, we're having dinner. Can't it wait?"

"It's the office. It shouldn't take too long."

Her father walked over to Hana's swing set and took the call. After a short conversation with whoever was on the other line, he returned, letting out a loud sigh as he reclaimed his seat.

"I'm sorry, Yume, but it looks like we're going to have to cut out visit short," he announced. "The company wants me to go to New York to meet with some potential investors."

"But you're supposed to be on vacation, dear," her mother said. "Can't they send someone else in your place?"

"I'm afraid not. The person originally scheduled to take the meetings was in a car accident and broke his leg, and I'm the only other person working on this account."

"I see. Well, when do you leave?"

"As soon as possible. They're working on getting us tickets on the next available flight to New York."

"Us?"

"It's the company's way of apologizing for demanding I cut my vacation short. They've agreed to buy you a ticket as well, if you would like to come with me, and they're going to set us up with a room at the Four Seasons."

"That's generous of them," Sora said. "Okaa-san, you should go. You've always dreamed of going to New York City, right?"

"Well, yes, but we only just got here a few days ago…"

"Oh, that reminds me!"

Without explanation, Sora suddenly jumped up from the table and headed back inside the house. Everybody looked over at Ken, who shrugged his shoulders, just as confused about his wife's behavior as the rest of them. A couple of minutes later, Sora returned, waving what appeared to be a pair of tickets in the air.

"Layla-san sent these to me last Christmas. They're tickets to the opening night performance of her new Broadway play, _Cleopatra_. Ken and I were planning to go, but with the pregnancy and Yume arriving, we decided not to." She handed the tickets over to her mother. "You and otou-san should take them. The play opens tomorrow night."

"Oh, we couldn't, Sora. They were a gift."

"They're just going to go to waste if you don't go. I'm sure Layla-san won't mind me giving them to you, and with her headlining, it's sure to be a fantastic show. You can tell me all about it."

"I have always wanted to see a Broadway show…" their mother admitted, glancing across the table at their father. "Chikara, do you think you'll be able to attend?"

"It depends on how well the meetings go, but I don't have anything currently scheduled for tomorrow night," he said. "We should be able to make it."

"Then you should go," Sora insisted. "Take the tickets, please."

"Well, if you insist…" their mother said. "Thank you."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since the two of them needed to get ready to leave, the barbeque ended shortly after. Yume's parents headed upstairs to pack, while Ken helped Hana get ready for bedtime and Yume offered to help Sora with clean-up duty. Fool, of course, was thrilled to be able to talk freely again and took advantage of it the first chance he got.

"Sora, you need to have a talk with your little sister," he said the moment the rest of the family was out of sight. "She doesn't respect me at all!"

"Hmm, really?" Sora said with an air of disinterest as she gathered the dirty plates from around the table.

Yume, who was wrapping up the leftovers, rolled her eyes. "That's real mature, Fool - tattling on me to my sister. Is that why you were so insistent on coming tonight?"

Fool brought his hand to his forehead and let out a sigh. "See what I have to deal with? She's not cute at all."

"Well, excuse me for not living up to your standards, you perverted ghost doll."

"For your information, I am a spirit, not a ghost, and I am most certainly not a doll, despite how you treat me like some kind of unwanted plaything."

"So you don't refute the 'perverted' part?"

Sora giggled, breaking up the brewing argument between them. "You two seem to be getting along well," she said, heading inside to the kitchen.

Yume followed after her with the leftovers, Fool tagging along as well. "In what universe is this called 'getting along well'?" she asked. After putting the food in the refrigerator, she began helping Sora at the sink with the dishes. "Seriously, how did you put up with him, Sora? He's always popping up at the most inconvenient times. If he doesn't stop, I'm going to end up in the insane asylum." She let out a sigh as she dried off the plate Sora handed her. "Sometimes I think I really am going crazy."

"I assure you that you're not hallucinating him, Yume."

"Indeed, I'm as real as you and Sora," Fool said. "Other people just can't see me. You should be proud to be one of the chosen few who can. I don't appear to just anybody, you know."

Yume frowned. "I just don't understand, why me?"

"Are you still insisting I made a mistake? Look, I proved it to you earlier today. I went right up to that Russian fellow's face, and he didn't even blink."

"I know, but…"

"Is Yume going to perform the Legendary Maneuver?" Sora asked, changing the subject. "She is a gifted gymnast, but she's never done trapeze… Then again, neither had I when you first appeared to me."

"No, her destiny is different from yours, Sora," he replied. "She's going to perform a maneuver that no other couple has managed to pull off in the history of her sport."

"Wait, did you say a 'couple'?" Yume asked. "Does that mean -?"

Before she could finish her question, however, their parents and Ken had come back downstairs, suitcases in hand. Their mother popped her head in the kitchen, interrupting her. "Sora? Yume? We're on our way to the airport. Ken-san has offered to drive us."

"So soon?" Sora pulled off her rubber gloves and walked over to tell them goodbye. "Have a good trip, Okaa-san," she said, giving her mother a hug. "Remember, you have to tell me everything about Layla-san's performance."

"I'll call you as soon as we get back to the hotel," she promised, placing a hand on Sora's rounded stomach. "And you keep me up-to-date on the baby's progress. Since you're due around the date of Yume's first performance, we'll come back for another visit. I can't wait to meet my new grandchild!"

"I will."

"Sorry again for cutting our trip short, Yume," their father said, embracing Yume, who had joined them in the living room.

"Don't worry about it, otou-san. I'll be fine. Onee-chan and Ken-san are here if I need anything."

"If that partner of yours keeps giving you trouble, don't hesitate to tell Ken-san. He's a producer now, so I'm sure he can whip that boy into shape."

The idea of her brother-in-law, known for his soft heart and kind nature, whipping anybody into shape was laughable at best, but Yume kept her chuckles to herself, not wanting to hurt Ken's feelings. "I can handle Mikhail-san. We'll be fine once we become more comfortable with each other." _At least I hope so,_ she added mentally in her head.

"We should be going now, Naegino-san," Ken announced. "You don't want to miss your flight."

After a last round of good-byes, the three set off for the airport, Yume and Fool leaving a short time later.


	11. Getting Closer

Over the next couple of weeks, Yume worked harder on her skating than she ever had before. Her new regime made her Olympic training look like mere child's play in comparison. She was determined to earn Mikhail's respect as a partner, but it seemed that no matter how hard she tried, he still refused to truly acknowledge her.

"Hey, where are you going, Yume?" Fool asked one night after almost everybody else had gone to bed. The Spirit of the Stage had become an almost permanent fixture in her life, a fact she was reluctantly starting to accept.

"The rink," she replied, grabbing her skates. "There's something I need to work on."

"This late at night? Doesn't that partner of yours realize you need your rest?"

Yume shook her head. "This is something I'm doing for myself. Mikhail and Coach Wong know nothing about it," she said as she left the dorm. "Don't worry. I won't be gone long."

Yume thought she had finally come across a way to impress Mikhail: by mastering the triple axel. She could tell he hated having to lessen his technical skills to match hers, but if she could just learn to land the triple axel consistently, they would have the toughest side-by-side triple jumps ever done by a pair, even out-doing Mikhail and his former partner. The most difficult jumps they ever tried together in competition were side-by-side triple loops, the same as all the other top-ranked couples, although she knew Mikhail was capable of triple axels. She often saw him doing them in during warm-ups, beautiful jumps that made Yume wonder why he had ever decided to become a pairs skater when he obviously had the talent to become a world-class men's champion. For her, though, the triple axel remained her nemesis.

"Dammit!" Yume cursed under her breath, getting up and brushing off the tiny shards of ice that stuck to the back of her practice clothes from yet another fall. "Why can't I ever seem to get this?"

Even though her body was begging for her to go back to her room and soak in a nice, warm bath, she tried the jump again. That time when she fell, however, Yume stayed where she was and sighed.

"This is hopeless, absolutely hopeless…"

"What are you doing out there?" someone asked in a thick Russian accent.

Startled, Yume looked up and saw Mikhail standing at the boards, his skates slung casually over his shoulder. _Oh, great. What is he doing here?_ she wondered. She wasn't expecting anybody, much less him, to show up at the rink so late at night.

"You are going to break your neck if you keep jumping like that."

Purposely ignoring him, Yume stood back up and tried another unsuccessful attempt at the axel.

"You are doing it all wrong," he criticized, sitting down on one of the bleachers around the ice and putting on his skates.

Annoyed, Yume skated over to the boards. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm making sure my partner doesn't kill herself before opening night," he said, stepping onto the ice. "Watch this."

As Yume watched, Mikhail performed a magnificent triple axel that practically took Yume's breath away. It was almost as if he was flying across the ice, and when he came down, the landing was soft and smooth, like a knife cutting through butter. He made the difficult edge jump look as easy as walking.

"See? That is how you do a triple axel."

Despite her awe, Yume rolled her eyes. "I already know you are a fantastic jumper. You don't have to be such a show-off."

"Do you want me to teach you the jump or not?"

"You…want to teach me how to do the triple axel?" Yume asked, unable to hide her surprise. He was actually offering to help her? During practices, Mikhail always seemed so exasperated whenever May had to stop and explain a move to her that he could probably do in his sleep.

"Is that a problem?"

"N-No, of course not." She skated over to him, apprehensive, yet curious. "Okay, what am I doing wrong?"

"You think too much," Mikhail said without pause. "You are much too stiff. When you do the axel, you must go into it with confidence, or else you will never land it."

"That's easy enough for you to say. You're one of the best skaters in the world," Yume said, sighing.

"And you are not?"

Her eyes widened at the unexpected question. "Um…well…I -"

"You know, I can't stand weak partners," he said, interrupting her. "If I had known you were so…wishy-washy, I never would have agreed to partner with you."

And there it was, her worst fear confirmed. She had long suspected it, but to hear Mikhail say the words aloud felt like a slap in the face. However, Yume refused to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "Why did you pick me then?" she asked instead, remembering the question she had asked May a couple of days after they began skating together. "Wouldn't you have been happier pairing with somebody more on your technical level, like Clarissa or Dominique?"

To Yume's surprise, he didn't answer right away. She thought he might be ignoring her, yet Mikhail made no move to leave, a thoughtful look on his normally expressionless face.

"You were different from the other girls," he finally said. "At the audition, all the other girls tried to follow my lead and failed, but you -"

"Yeah, I know, I know. I basically gave you the symbolic middle finger and did my own thing." Yume felt her cheeks warm at the reminder. She never had properly apologized for her behavior at the audition. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, incredulous. "I completely disrespected you that day. I mean, you're the reigning Olympic champion, and I was just a beginning pairs skater. I had no business taking over the routine like that, even if I thought you were making the choreography much too difficult for an improvised program."

"So, you caught onto that?"

"Of course I did. It was obvious to everybody at the audition. A person would have to be blind not to see what you were doing."

"Yet you were the only one who decided to do something about it," he reminded her. "I…kind of liked that."

"What?!"

Yume would not have been more shocked than if Mikhail had told her he was actually an alien from another planet. Even more astonishing, however, was the fact that Mikhail began to laugh. In the short time she had known him in person, she had never, ever seen the Ice Prince smile, much less chuckle, yet there he was in the middle of the ice, laughing so hard that his face was turning red.

"Mikhail?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologized, wiping away a tear of laughter from his eye before becoming serious once again. "Yume, in answer to your question, I chose you to be my new partner because I thought you would challenge me. At the audition, you were the only one who showed any kind of independence, any kind of…what's the word? Spunk."

"But pairs skating isn't supposed to be about being independent. It's about two people skating together as one, isn't it?"

"Yes, but as equals."

"I don't understand." To Yume, who had grown up in a culture where men were traditionally thought to be the stronger, more dominant sex, while women were supposed to be submissive, the idea of a totally equal partnership was fairly foreign to her.

"Each partner in a pair needs to be able to carry his or her own weight," Mikhail explained. "Until tonight, though, all you have been doing is depending on me instead of improving yourself, haven't you?"

"No, I haven't! I -"

Yume stopped mid-sentence, realizing the truth of his words. From the moment they became official partners, she had been letting Mikhail dominate her. She never made any suggestions during their private ice time with May; she never insisted they try things her way instead of his. Since Mikhail was the current Olympic champion and she was just an upstart in pairs, Yume just assumed that he and May knew best and always did what they told her in the hopes that she would one day become the kind of partner worthy of a true champion. Evidently, that was not what he wanted.

"Mikhail…" She started to apologize, but he shook his head.

"Let's work on that axel, okay?"

Nodding her agreement, Yume decided from that moment on she would try harder to stand on her own two feet when it came to her skating, and the first thing she was going to do was learn how to land a consistent triple axel.

Mikhail was a surprisingly good teacher. Because her old coach in Japan had never tried to land a triple axel herself, Coach Hasegawa had never been adequately able to explain to Yume the subtle differences between performing the double and the triple. Mikhail, on the other hand, had plenty of experience to draw from, which he used to help Yume modify her technique on the axel so that she could spin higher and faster in the air. Within the hour, her consistency on the jump nearly doubled. It still wasn't quite good enough to think about putting in the show, but with a little more practice, it was possible it would be.

By that time, it was getting late, so Mikhail suggested they stop for the night. A part of Yume wanted to continue, pumped up by her progress, but her body was beginning to feel the signs of fatigue. Fighting back a yawn, she plopped down beside Mikhail on the bleachers and began unlacing her skates.

"Mikhail, may I ask you a question?"

From his spot beside her, Mikhail gave a soft grunt as he pulled off his skate. Yume took it to mean "yes."

"Why are you a pairs skater?" she asked, remembering the thought she had the first time she ever saw him land the triple axel. "I mean, you are obviously a very strong jumper -"

"Just not strong enough," he interrupted, and sighed. "My coach - the one I had before Coach Wong - used to say that I was born thirty years too late. I was never able to land a quad, and you aren't anybody in men's competitive figure skating these days if you don't have at least a quad toe and a quad salchow in your arsenal. Coach Kazakov suggested if I ever wanted to be successful in my skating, it would be best if I switched to pairs, so I did."

"It was good you did. You and Tatiana Pekrovskaya were the perfect pair. It must have been so amazing to win the gold medal at the Oly-"

To Yume's surprise, Mikhail abruptly stood up. "You should probably get back to your dorm room now," he said, his voice losing a bit of the kindness he had shown up until then. "It's getting late."

Looking down at her watch, Yume saw that it was almost midnight. Fool would be wondering what had happened to her if she didn't get back to her room soon. "Oh, I didn't realize it was so late!" she exclaimed, quickly jamming her feet back in her sneakers without tying them and grabbing her duffel bag. "Um, thank you for helping me with my triple axel. I really appreciate it."

"It was nothing," he said, and left without saying goodbye.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time Yume saw Mikhail wouldn't be until their afternoon practice with May the next day. She thought she caught a glimpse of him when she and Clarissa were leaving the cafeteria after breakfast to head to their yoga class, but he passed by too quickly for Yume to be certain, most likely in a hurry to get his meal before they stopped serving.

"Yume?" Clarissa lightly touched her arm. "Something wrong?" she asked, noticing Yume looking back at the door to cafeteria. "Did you forget something at the table?"

Yume turned back around and shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she said. "I just thought I saw something. I probably just imagined it. Come on, let's go."

When they arrived at the room where the yoga class was held, they discovered they were among the first to arrive. Only Zoe Alexander was there, going through her pre-class warm-up. Noticing them at the door, she waved them over.

"Yume, Clarissa, over here!"

"Um, I think I'm going to set up in the back," Clarissa said to Yume. "You can set up over there if you want."

"What? Why? You were the one who wanted to come early today so we could get a good spot."

"Yeah, but -"

"Is it because of Zoe?" Yume guessed, frowning. She and Zoe, along with Zoe's best friend Becca, had become casual friends over the past couple of weeks. They didn't see each other much due to their differing schedules, but sometimes they would hang out in between practices. "She's a nice girl, you know. It's not her fault that Jason has a huge crush on her."

"I know, and it's not like I blame her or anything, but -"

"Then don't be rude. Let's join her." Taking Clarissa by the arm, Yume pulled her in Zoe's direction. "Hey, Zoe!"

"Hi!" the contortionist greeted them. "You two are early today."

"Clarissa is always complaining about not being able to see the teacher properly, so we thought we'd get here early and stake out a good spot."

"Oh, is this a good enough spot, Clarissa? We can move if you want."

"It's…fine," Clarissa replied, setting her mat on the other side of Yume, who had taken the place on Zoe's right.

Yume sighed when she saw the hurt look that flashed in Zoe's eyes at Clarissa's less than friendly reply. A person would expect a girl of Zoe's obvious beauty and talent to be quite popular, but from what Yume saw, she was a bit of a loner, only really hanging out with Becca, who had been her best friend since childhood. Though there was no shortage of guys who liked her, none ever seemed to approach her, most likely afraid of getting on Kalos' bad side. As for the girls, they were either jealous of the attention the boys paid to her or called her a no-talent hack who only got her job because of her daddy's influence behind her back. Yume felt sorry for her and had been hoping to introduce her and Becca into the skaters' group, but Clarissa wasn't going to make it easy.

It wasn't long before Clarissa's partner Jason arrived as well, evidently deciding to come early to get a seat by Zoe. His eyes lit up with glee when he saw Yume and Clarissa sitting near her, and he immediately set his mat on the other side of Zoe instead of Clarissa.

"This spot isn't taken, is it?" he asked Zoe, who had resumed her stretches.

"Hmm, what?" Zoe glanced over at Jason and shrugged. "Take it if you want," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's a free country."

"Thanks." Jason looked like a kid on Christmas morning who had just received the present he wanted from Santa.

Clarissa, on the other hand, was visibly annoyed. "I should have taken that spot when I had the chance," she muttered low enough so that only Yume could hear.

"Clarissa…"

"Sorry, but I hate how Jason's always drooling over that girl. Why can't he look at me like that?"

"Something wrong?" Zoe asked, interrupting them. Fortunately, she didn't seem to be aware of what they had been talking about.

"Ah, it's nothing," Yume said, thinking quickly. "Clarissa was just complaining about how sore she always feels after yoga class."

"Oh, maybe I can give you some pointers, Clarissa. I know -"

"I'm fine, thanks," Clarissa said curtly before laying down on her side to do some leg lifts, facing away from them.

"Did I do or say something to upset her?" Zoe asked Yume in a whisper.

"It's not you, Zoe. She's just frustrated and taking it out on you, that's all. It's not your fault."

"Oh, I see." The contortionist frowned. "If she's having trouble with yoga, I wouldn't mind helping her out some."

"Um, I don't think it's yoga that's giving her problems…" Yume said, amazed by how oblivious Zoe was to Jason's crush on her.

On the other side of Zoe, Jason had maneuvered himself into an advanced yoga pose in an none-too-subtle attempt to impress her. "Zoe, how does this look? Am I doing it right?"

"Yeah, great," she said, barely glancing in his direction.

Yume sighed and shook her head in mild exasperation. It appeared this love triangle between Clarissa, Jason, and Zoe was doomed from all angles.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Clarissa, I don't think Zoe even likes Jason in that way," Yume said later at lunch while they waited for Pilar and Elizaveta to join them at their usual table in the cafeteria. "She barely paid him any attention at all, so you really shouldn't consider her competition."

"Why is it so important to you that I like Zoe Alexander?" Clarissa asked. "I don't understand. Be friends with her if you want, but I don't see why I have to."

Yume shrugged, moving the contents of her salad around with a fork. "I just thought it would be nice if we could be friends with some of the other performers, and Zoe always seems so lonely."

"Lonely? Hah! That girl has boys following her around everywhere she goes. Did you see all the guys around us today in yoga?"

"Just because she's popular with the boys doesn't mean she's friends with them."

Clarissa frowned. "Well, I guess that's true," she admitted. "Still, I can't help but -"

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Pilar asked, taking the seat across from Clarissa. Elizaveta was right behind her.

"Zoe Alexander," Yume replied.

"That contortionist with rubber for bones? What about her?"

"Yume wants me to be friends with her for some reason," Clarissa said.

Yume shook her head. "No, not just you - all of us."

"I don't mind," Pilar said, snatching a cookie from Clarissa's tray. "She's Kalos' daughter, right? Can't hurt to have the boss's kid on your side."

"Hey, that was mine!" Clarissa exclaimed, taking the cookie back.

"Aw, come on, Clarissa, they were out by the time Liza and I got here, and you know oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite."

"Fine, we'll share it." Sighing, she snapped the cookie in two and handed one of the halves to Pilar. "You really don't mind being friends with Zoe? You know she's a total guy magnet."

"Hey, I'm not in competition with some sixteen year old. She can have all the teenage boys she wants. I prefer my men to be at least old enough to drink, which is more than I can say about some people…" She pointedly looked at Clarissa.

Clarissa's cheeks burned a bright red that nearly matched her hair. "Oh, shut up. Jason's only a couple of years younger than I am, and we're both legally adults. It's not like I'm looking to rob the cradle. Besides, I remember you thought he was hot, too."

"Well, I'm not blind…"

"Can we please get back on topic?" Yume asked, turning to Elizaveta, who had yet to say anything. "What about you, Liza? Would you mind being friends with Zoe?"

"She seems nice enough to me," the Polish girl said. "We have the same aerobics class together."

"Then it's settled," Yume decided, ignoring the glare Clarissa gave her. "I'll invite Zoe and Becca Thomas to have lunch with us tomorrow."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Yume, wait up!"

Yume, who had been on her way to the rink for her private practice with May and Mikhail, stopped and turned around. "Oh, hey, Zoe, Becca," she said, smiling at the two girls who had called out to her. "I was hoping to run into you."

"You were?" Zoe asked, surprised. "Did you need something?"

"No, I just wanted to apologize for the way Clarissa treated you in yoga class today. She's usually not that rude."

Zoe shrugged. "It's okay, really. I'm used to it. A lot of people think I was only allowed to join Kaleido Stage because of my family connections, so…"

"It's still rude!" Becca said, looking furious on her best friend's behalf. "If they would just give you half a chance, they'd see right away how talented you are, Zoe! Sometimes I wonder if you even think you deserve to be here yourself."

"Becca…"

"You two are really close, aren't you?" Yume mused, struck by the obviously strong bond between them. She had never experienced that kind of lifelong friendship before. "But, honestly, Zoe, your family connections have nothing to do with Clarissa's feelings toward you."

"Then what is it?" the contortionist asked. "I don't remember doing or saying anything to her that would make her dislike me so much."

Yume frowned, unsure of what to tell her. Clarissa never mentioned her crush on Jason was a secret, but it didn't feel right to tell Zoe and Becca about it without her permission. On the other hand, Zoe deserved an explanation for Clarissa's rude behavior, especially if they were ever going to get past it. "I can't really get into specific details," she finally said, "but it's a guy thing. There's somebody she really likes a lot, but he only has eyes for you, and it frustrates her. That's why she doesn't like you."

"Oh, I see. Is the guy Jason Kerry, by any chance?"

Yume's eyes widened in mild surprise. She thought Zoe had been oblivious to Jason's crush on her. "You noticed?"

"Not at first, no, but by the end of today's yoga class, I kind of suspected it," Zoe said with a shrug. "He's Clarissa's pairs partner, right? Well, you can tell Clarissa that she doesn't have to worry. I'm sure Jason's a great guy, but he just isn't my type."

"You should tell her yourself, tomorrow at lunch. I'd really like for you two to join us if you don't have any other plans."

Zoe and Becca exchanged a look that was like a silent, private conversation between the two of them. "Are you sure the others won't mind, Yume?" Becca asked, reaching for Zoe's hand. "We don't want to cause trouble between you and your friends."

"But you guys are my friends, too, right?" Yume pointed out. "I just want us to all get along. Pilar and Elizaveta don't mind, and I'm sure once Zoe tells Clarissa that she has absolutely no interest in Jason, Clarissa will warm up to her. Please, come join us."

"One lunch wouldn't hurt, I guess," Zoe decided. "I would like to clear up this misunderstanding with Clarissa."

"Are you sure, Zoe?" Becca asked.

Zoe nodded, and Yume grinned, happy they had agreed. "Great! We'll see you tomorrow, then. We'll be at our usual table." She glanced down at her watch and realized that if she didn't hurry, she would be late for practice. "Oops, sorry, gotta run! Bye!"

Yume arrived at the rink with only a couple of minutes to spare. May, who was a stickler for punctuality, shot her a glare as she came in. "Cutting it close, Yume."

"Sorry, Coach," Yume said, sitting down to put on her skates.

Mikhail, of course, was already on the ice, warming up for their practice. Though unsure of how he would react to her after how the previous night's triple axel lesson ended, Yume took a chance and gave him a small wave when she caught him glancing in her direction. To her complete and utter shock, after a moment of hesitation, he waved back.

Was it possible? Was the Ice Prince actually starting to thaw a little?

After lacing up her skates, Yume stepped out on the ice and began her warm-up, skating a couple of laps around the rink by herself. She and Mikhail tended to go through warm-ups on their own, so she wasn't surprised when he didn't join her. Once she got a feel for the ice, Yume began doing some easy jumps and spins, aware that Mikhail's eyes were following her as he took a break at the boards to get a drink of water.

 _Why is he staring at me like that?_ Yume wondered. She didn't mind, exactly, but it was disconcerting when he usually ignored her existence during the warm-up period. She popped an easy triple toe loop, distracted by his sudden interest in her.

"Oh, great," she muttered, "that'll leave a good impression."

Yume expected him to give up watching her after the pop and resume his own warm-up, but Mikhail stayed where he was, arms crossed over his chest and still staring at her with those icy blue eyes of his. It was like he was silently challenging her to do something to blow his mind. _The triple axel, then,_ Yume decided, fully prepared to take on the challenge if that was what he wanted.

She picked up speed and launched herself in the air, taking off from the left forward outside edge. Her body spun three times in the air, but she didn't have quite enough time to complete the last half-turn necessary for the axel, causing her to fall on the landing. From her spot on the ice, Yume sighed and glanced over at Mikhail, who was skating over to her.

"Nice attempt," he said, offering his hand to help her off the ice. "Your speed going into it was good, but you spun a little too slow in the air."

"Um, thanks, I guess," Yume said, allowing him to pull her back up.

"We'll work on it some more tonight."

"Tonight?" She blinked, letting go of his hand.

"Oh, do you have other plans?"

"No, not really… You want to have another triple axel practice?"

Mikhail rubbed at the back of his neck. "If you want. I mean, I just assumed -"

"No, if you don't mind, that sounds great," she said, surprised, but pleased by his offer to continue teaching her the axel. "Is nine o'clock okay with you?"

"Sounds fine."

As he skated away to resume his warm up, Yume watched his back, dumbfounded.

Mikhail Vladimirov was certainly full of surprises.


	12. War And Peace

Excited about having another triple axel lesson with Mikhail, Yume headed down to the practice rink about fifteen minutes before nine, the appointed time. Mikhail wasn't there yet, so Yume laced up her skates and did a few laps around the ice to warm up while she waited. Her teacher arrived a few minutes later.

"You're early," he said, taking a seat on the bleachers to switch into his skates.

Yume glided over and came to a stop in front of him. "I thought warming up earlier would give us more time to work on the axel," she explained. "By the way, I want you to know how much I appreciate you doing this for me. I'm guessing giving me triple axel lessons isn't on the top of your list of fun ways to spend your free time."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. I don't mind." Mikhail took off his skate guards and joined her on the ice. "Do a series of five consecutive double axels around the ice," he ordered Yume. "If you fall, two-foot, or pop a jump, start over from the beginning."

"Double axels?"

"I want to study your technique on the double first. Now, go."

Doing as she was told, Yume did a lap around the rink to build up speed, then launched herself into the double axel series. Although double axels were a relatively consistent jump for her, she had to start over three times before she was able to do all five jumps cleanly in a roll. Yume glanced over at Mikhail once she had finished the fifth double axel and saw him rubbing at his chin. She frowned.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, skating over to him. "I didn't under-rotate any of those jumps, did I?"

"No, they were excellent," - that was the first time Mikhail had ever complimented her on her skating, and Yume grinned, pleased with herself - "but you were a little slow in the air again. It's a problem I've noticed with all your individual jumps."

Her smile fell, her pride deflated like an escaped balloon. "But I completed the rotations, right? I didn't cheat any of the landings."

"Well, yes. You do tend to get nice height on your jumps, which usually gives you enough time to finish the rotations before touching the ice despite your slow turns, but if you want to consistently perform a triple axel, you're going to have to increase the speed of your spin in the air. It will help on your twists as well, I think." Recently, they had begun attempting the split triple twist, but Yume usually collided with him on the landing due to not finishing the third rotation in the air.

"I see, but how do I do that?"

Mikhail came up behind her, and to Yume's surprise, grabbed her wrists. "You need to make yourself more compact in the air," he said into her ear, moving her arms to demonstrate what he meant. "Really pull your arms to your chest when you go up into a jump. It will make you more - what's the English word?"

"Um, aerodynamic?" Yume suggested, a light blush coloring her cheeks at Mikhail's proximity. The way he was holding her arms against her breasts was almost like a lover's embrace.

"Yes, right." He let go of her hands and coughed into his fist. "Try it that way."

"The double axels again?"

Mikhail nodded. "But make it ten this time."

She nodded and began performing the ten double axels, taking Mikhail's advice about her arms into account. She noticed an improvement almost immediately in the air, but spinning faster threw off her timing on the landings. It took Yume several attempts before she was able to perform all ten axels in a row without falling or two-footing the landing, and by the time she had completed the challenge, she was utterly exhausted. After the last jump, she collapsed on the ice and rolled over on her back.

Mikhail skated over. "Yume, are you okay?" he asked, actually sounding somewhat concerned.

Yume laughed. "I'm fine," she assured him, throwing an arm over her eyes. If the ice wasn't so cold, she would be tempted to fall asleep right then and there. "Just tired, that's all. Those axels took a lot out of me."

"If that's all, get up." The coldness was back in his voice.

"What?" She brought her arm back down and stared up at Mikhail, who loomed over her, arms crossed over his chest. "You can't be serious."

"Do you want to learn the triple axel or not?"

"Of course I do," she said, standing back up and brushing the ice shards off her clothes. "But it's after ten, and it's been a long day of classes and practices. Haven't we done enough for one night?"

"You haven't even attempted a single triple axel tonight," he pointed out, holding up three fingers. "Three. Land three triple axels, and I'll dismiss practice."

Yume's eyes widened. "In a row?"

"No, just land three of them. They don't even have to be perfect landings. Just stay on your feet."

 _Well, at least he's not totally unreasonable,_ Yume thought with a roll of her eyes, skating off. But asking her to land three triple axels after pushing her near the brink of exhaustion was still bordering on the impossible - and the sadistic.

Indeed, she popped her first attempt, not even managing to do a single. The second one wasn't much better. The third she managed to land, just barely. She fell hard on the fourth try and popped again on the fifth. The sixth was a total disaster, followed by a surprisingly good landing on the seventh. It wasn't until the twelfth attempt that she managed to land the third and final triple axel.

"I did it!" Yume shouted triumphantly, pumping her fists in the air as she did a victory lap around the rink.

She even noticed a small smile on Mikhail's lips, though he was quick to make it disappear when he saw her glancing over at him. "Those were adequate," he said, handing Yume her skates guards as they exited the ice. "You still need a lot of work, though."

Yume refused to let him bring her down. They may not have been the prettiest jumps, but she still considered it a victory. "Three out of twelve is a twenty-five percent success rate. I think that's pretty good considering how tired I am."

"If you're satisfied with that, you're never going to master the jump."

"Well, Mr. Big Shot, if you're so cocky, let's see you land twelve triple axels in a row," she said without thinking.

Mikhail, after taking a moment to consider the idea, wordlessly turned around and stepped back out onto the ice.

"Wait, you're actually going to do it? Are you insane?"

"I never could resist a challenge," Mikhail called out as he began skating around the rink. "Watch this!"

Yume shook her head in disbelief, but stood at the boards to watch in absolute awe as Mikhail proceeded to perform the twelve axel sequence. Not all of them were perfect - near the end, she could tell he was losing some energy - yet he landed all twelve of them without fail. The last jump he did right in front of her, and as he skated back over to Yume, he gave a little shrug as if to say it was no big deal.

"Okay, so I still have a long way to go," she admitted, impressed by his athletic feat, "but one day I'm going to be just as good as you are. Just watch me, Mikhail Vladimirov!"

"I'll be looking forward to that," he said, waving back at her over his shoulder as he left the rink. "See you tomorrow."

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"Oh, hey, Zoe, Becca."

The next day, Yume was the first of the skaters to arrive at the cafeteria for lunch. A nervous-looking Zoe and Becca were already there, waiting at the skaters' usual table. Becca was sitting in the seat to Zoe's left, so Yume took the one on the right, giving the two newcomers a welcoming smile.

"I'm so glad you guys came," Yume said.

"Are you sure this is okay, Yume?" Becca asked. "The rest of your friends aren't just going to skip lunch to avoid hanging out with me and Zoe, are they?"

"Of course not. They're all really nice girls. I'm sure you'll like them." Spotting Pilar and Elizaveta coming from the lunch line, Yume waved them over. "In fact, here they come now."

"Oh, hey, so you must be Zoe and Rebecca," Pilar said, grinning as she sat down in front of Zoe and offered her hand. "Welcome! We've never officially met, have we? I'm Pilar, and this is Elizaveta, although we usually call her Liza. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Pilar," Zoe said, looking a little more relaxed. "Actually, Becca and I already know Elizaveta a little." She smiled at the blonde. "She's in our aerobics class, right?"

Elizaveta nodded. "Thank you for loaning me that dollar the other day, by the way. I should pay you back…"

She reached for her wallet, but Zoe shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I already told you buying you that bottle of water was my treat. I was happy to help."

Yume glanced around the cafeteria, searching for the last member of their group. "Where's Clarissa?" she asked Pilar. "Wasn't she with you two?"

Pilar shrugged. "She was, but she decided to slip into the bathroom to freshen up on the way here. She said she would catch up with us later. I'm sure she'll be here in a couple of minutes."

Yume frowned. Despite what she had told Becca, she wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Clarissa had planned to skip lunch in order to avoid talking to Zoe. She was about to excuse herself to go look for Clarissa when the redhead exited the lunch line with a tray of food.

Instead of joining the rest of them, Clarissa chose a seat at an empty table about twenty feet away from them. Though her back was turned, Yume knew she had to have seen them. "That girl!" Yume muttered under her breath.

She started to stand, intending to give Clarissa a piece of her mind, but Zoe placed a hand on Yume's arm, stopping her. "Let me talk to her, Yume," Zoe said, standing up and grabbing her tray.

"Wait, I'll go with you," Becca offered.

"No, you stay here, Becca. This is between me and Clarissa. Besides, I'd rather talk to her in private."

"But -"

"I'll be fine."

Zoe walked over to Clarissa's table and took the seat across from her. For a long moment, neither of them said much of anything, but eventually they began to talk.

"Man, I wish we we're sitting closer," Pilar said, turned around in her chair. "I can't hear a thing!"

"Pilar, it's not polite to eavesdrop," Elizaveta said. "Turn around and eat your lunch."

"But aren't you curious?"

"Not really. It's none of our business."

"Oh, you're no fun," Pilar grumbled, though she turned back around. "And here I was, looking forward to some serious fireworks."

"They seem to be getting along fine to me," Yume said, glancing over at the table where they sat. She could only see Zoe's face clearly, but she looked calm and composed.

A sigh of relief escaped Becca's lips. "I'm glad. I hope they can work things out."

"You were really worried about her, weren't you?"

"Well, I've always been kind of Zoe's protector," Becca confessed. "About a year ago, she got on the bad side of one of the most popular girls at our school because apparently the girl's boyfriend had a thing for Zoe. The girl and her clique started spreading around a lot of nasty rumors about her, like that she slept with guys for money and that she was having an affair with one of our teachers. None of it was true, of course, but it made Zoe's life a living hell. That's why when I graduated early, she decided to drop out, earn her GED, and join Kaleido Stage. She hoped by adopting a new name, she would have a fresh start here, but ever since Dominique Fontenot spilled the beans about who Zoe's parents are, she's been just as much an outcast here as she was in high school."

"Wait, it was Dominique who told everybody that Zoe was Kalos' and Sarah's daughter?" Pilar asked. She rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I have no concrete proof that she was the one who started it, but the rumor did seem to begin right after Dominique overheard Zoe calling the boss 'Daddy'. It seems Dominique really hates those she feel get ahead solely due to family connections." Becca looked over at Yume. "I think that's part of the reason why Zoe sought out your friendship, Yume. She thought you would understand, since you're Sora's little sister."

"I had no idea." Yume tended to avoid Dominique outside of practice. It was clear that they were never going to be friends, so she didn't see the point in aggravating herself by trying to be friendly toward the rude French skater.

"Has she been saying things about Yume, too?" Pilar demanded to know, dark eyes darting around the cafeteria in search of Dominique. "I have half a mind to punch the daylights out of that French bitch!"

"Pilar, no." Elizaveta pulled Pilar back down when she started to rise from her seat. "Do you want Mr. Eido to fire you?"

"Elizaveta's right," Becca agreed, "but I can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind a couple of times myself. My dad would kill me if I got into a fistfight, though. He's a cop, so he means business."

"So we do nothing?" Pilar asked, arms crossed over her chest. She muttered something in Spanish that Yume couldn't understand, but she got the distinct impression that it wasn't very nice.

"Just ignore her, Pilar," Yume said. "The others are right. It's not worth it to stir up trouble with Dominique."

"But Yume -"

By then, Zoe and Clarissa had finished their talk and came back over to the table. To everybody's surprise, the two of them were actually laughing as they sat down to join them.

"Well, I guess you two worked things out," Pilar said, looking somewhat disappointed. "That was anti-climatic."

Clarissa arched an eyebrow. "Were you expecting us to have a catfight right here in the middle of the cafeteria?"

"Actually, I kind of was."

"Pilar, you watch too many soap operas," Clarissa said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "We had a nice talk, and I just realized how immature it was to hold a grudge against Zoe when she has absolutely no interest at all in Jason. It's not her fault that he's interested in her."

"That's exactly what I've been telling you!" Yume reminded her.

"I know, but I guess I just needed to hear it from Zoe herself to believe it." Clarissa shrugged. "Anyway, I've already apologized to Zoe, but sorry I ignored you guys earlier. I was being petty and mean."

"It's okay, Clarissa. I probably shouldn't have tried to force you and Zoe together like that anyway when I knew how you felt."

"No, it's good that you did, Yume. Really. I was being totally unfair."

"I'm just happy that we managed to clear the air," Zoe said. "It's also been really nice to meet you all."

"Yeah," Becca agreed. "Thanks for inviting us, Yume."

Yume smiled, pleased that everything had worked out between Zoe and Clarissa. If only things could be so easy to fix with Dominique… But Yume had a feeling that would be asking for too much.

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Yume, Clarissa, and Pilar had a ballet lesson after lunch, so the three of them said their goodbyes to the others and headed to the dance studio.

"So are things really okay between you and Zoe now, Clarissa?" Yume asked once they were out of earshot. "You weren't just faking?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Clarissa said. "I don't see us becoming the best of friends or anything like that, but I don't mind hanging out with her and Becca if that's what you want. They seem like nice enough girls, and I really was being silly about the Jason thing. Zoe even agreed to talk me up to Jason whenever she gets the chance."

"I'm glad."

"This thing with Dominique is still pissing me off, though," Pilar said, hands clenched at her side.

"What thing with Dominique? What has she done now?" Clarissa asked, confused.

"Oh, that's right, you weren't there. While you and Zoe were having your little peace summit, Becca told us that Dominique was the one behind everybody finding out who Zoe's parents are. She's also been saying things about Yume, apparently."

"Pilar, just forget about it," Yume told her. "I don't really care if Dominique has been spreading rumors about me. You guys know the truth. That's all that matters to me."

"What about Zoe, then? You heard what Becca said. Because of Dominique, everybody thinks the only reason why Zoe was allowed to join Kaleido Stage is because of her father. She's become an outcast."

Yume frowned. She had to admit that she hated what Dominique had done to Zoe. She could handle the rumors - she'd been preparing herself for the possibility ever since she was named Mikhail's new partner, considering how inexperienced she was - but Zoe had been trying to create a new life for herself at Kaleido Stage until Dominique ruined things for her.

"There has to be something we can do to get back at her," Pilar continued, punching her fist against the palm of her other hand. "Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it. Besides, I'm still annoyed at how she tried to convince Coach Wong to partner her with Sergei."

"We already told you that punching her will just get you fired," Yume reminded her as they sat down to put on their ballet slippers.

"I'm sure Zoe could put in a good word for me with Kalos. He wouldn't fire me if he knew I was defending his daughter's honor."

"Then Dominique will just start spreading rumors about you," Clarissa pointed out. "I'm with Yume. I think the best course of action is to ignore her. After a while, people will realize Yume's and Zoe's talent and nobody will care who they're related to."

"Maybe so, but I still say she deserves to be put in her place. Who is she to get so uppity about who gets hired here at Kaleido Stage, anyway? It's not like she's some big-time star herself. People like that make me so… Arrgh!"

"We get the picture." Clarissa stood up and held out her hand to Pilar, who had just finished tying her shoes. "Come on, let's go start our barre exercises. Maybe you can work out some of that pent-up aggression. Yume, come join us when you're finished."

The two left, leaving Yume on her own. Yume quickly finished tying her ballet shoes and was about to join her friends at the barre when none other than Dominique herself walked over. She let out a sigh, wondering what the French skater wanted.

"I saw you had some…interesting company today at lunch, Yume," Dominique said, arms crossed over her chest. "I didn't realize you were such good friends with Zoe Alex- I mean, Zoe Eido, although I can't say that I'm surprised. You two have so much in common, after all."

"I don't believe it is any of your business who my friends are," Yume said, retying her shoe to avoid looking up at Dominique.

Dominique flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "I only mention it out of concern for you, _mon amie_. You are aware there's been some gossip going around that you were only given a contract with Kaleido Stage due to your sister's connections?"

 _Gee, I wonder who started that rumor,_ Yume thought to herself. "So?"

"So, if you ask me, it doesn't help your case any for people to see you acting so chummy with the boss's daughter."

"Well, I wasn't asking you," she said, rising to her feet. "Now, if you will excuse me…"

"Honestly, I try to be nice and offer you some friendly advice, and this is how you react? I knew I shouldn't have bothered."

"What is your problem, Dominique?" Yume demanded to know, eyes narrowed as she turned back around. "What has Zoe ever done to you? Tell me. I can understand you not liking me, but why pick on her? Are you such a pathetic loser that the only way you can feel good about yourself is by putting down others?"

Yume instantly regretted her choice of words upon seeing the flash of hurt that flickered in Dominique's eyes.

"I don't have to listen to this," Dominique said, pivoting on her heel. "Do what you want. It's not like I care about your stupid reputation."

"Dominique, wait -"

But Dominique had already walked away. Deciding it best just to let her be for the moment, Yume sighed and joined Clarissa and Pilar at the barre on the other side of the studio. "What in the world did she want?" Pilar asked the moment Yume came over.

"Nothing important."

"It sure didn't look that way to me. Come on, Dominique's not the type of person to just say a friendly 'hello'. She approached you for a reason."

"Things did look a little tense between you two," Clarissa commented. "Was it something about Zoe again?"

"She warned me against being friends with Zoe," Yume admitted after a pause, knowing that Pilar, at least, wouldn't let up until she knew the whole story. "She told me that being friends with the boss's daughter would just feed into the gossip about me only being contracted at Kaleido Stage because of my connections."

"And who's the one who has been spreading that stupid rumor around?" Pilar scoffed, echoing Yume's earlier thought. "That girl has some gall. I hope you told her where she could stick her 'advice'!"

Well, I tried, but…" Her voice trailed off, remembering the pained look on Dominique's face. Something she had said had definitely hit a nerve with Dominique.

"You're too nice for your own good, Yume. If you keep letting Dominique get away with stunts like this, she's going to keep walking all over you. I'm telling you, something has to be done about her."

"Like what?" Clarissa asked. "Are you going to try to get her fired?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind if Dominique got the boot," Pilar said, "but losing her would be a setback for the show. As much as I hate to admit it, the girl is probably the best female skater here - at least when it comes to her jump ability. I remember competing against her when we were amateurs. She almost never fell. It was her partner's mistakes that always kept them down in the standings, but she skated with her brother, so it wasn't like she could dump him for somebody better without causing a family feud or something."

"But they're not skating together now," Yume pointed out. "If her brother decided to quit skating, then why didn't she try to find another partner to compete with?"

Pilar shrugged. "Yeah, I don't really get it either. Maybe she just couldn't find anybody willing to put up with her rotten personality for another four years until the next Olympics." She burst out laughing. "I could certainly believe that!"

Around them, several of the other girls turned to stare at Pilar, including Dominique, who seemed to sense that she was the topic of their conversation. Upon catching Yume's eye, the French skater quickly looked away, turning her attention back to her barre exercises.

" _Mademoiselle_ Santos, is there something you would like to share with the class?" their instructor asked from the front of the studio. "What is so amusing over there?"

Pilar settled back down, wiping away a few tears of laughter from her cheeks. "Nothing!" she called out. "Sorry, don't mind me. First position, everybody!"

"Thank you, but I'll be giving the instructions around here, if you don't mind," he said, none too amused. "First position, _mademoiselles_!"

As the rest of the class erupted into giggles, Yume glanced over at a stoic Dominique, wondering if there was more to the unfriendly French skater than met the eye.


	13. Visit From The Ice Princess

Things were definitely improving.

Ever since they began holding late-night triple axel practices, Yume had noticed a change in the way Mikhail interacted with her. He still wasn't what she would call overly friendly toward her, but at least he now actually greeted her when she arrived for practice and seemed more patient and willing to help when she was having trouble with an unfamiliar pairs move.

He seemed really enthused about the idea of performing side-by-side triple axels in the show - well, as much as he could seem excited about anything. Mikhail still kept most of his emotions hidden behind the icy mask he usually wore when they were together, but Yume thought she saw signs the mask might be melting, just a little.

It was during those late practices that Yume felt Mikhail thawed out the most, in a manner of speaking. Away from May and the other skaters, he actually looked like he enjoyed skating on occasion. Of course, whenever Yume caught him in a rare smile - usually at her expense, as Mikhail seemed to find her constant falls on the axel a source of amusement - he was quick to make it disappear, but it was a start, at least.

In fact, Yume was beginning to feel like they could become actual partners, after all, which made Tatiana Pekrovskaya's surprise visit to Kaleido Stage a couple of weeks later all the more shocking.

It had started out as a regular, ordinary day. As it was a Tuesday, Yume and Mikhail had a private afternoon practice with May at the rink. Things were going well until Mikhail popped his triple toe loop and suddenly stopped skating.

Mikhail never popped such easy jumps. Triple toe loops came as naturally to him as breathing. On occasion, he did fall on the triple loop, resulting in Yume learning some rather colorful Russian vocabulary, but for him to miss a simple jump like the toe loop was as rare a phenomenon as a blue moon. Confused, Yume stopped skating as well and followed his icy gaze to the entranceway of the rink, where a blonde woman stood standing, hands on slender hips as crystal blue eyes peered over a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses.

The woman was absolutely stunning. Though petite - she couldn't have been more than five feet, at the most - she carried herself with the poise and confidence of a model, making her seem much taller than she actually was. It didn't hurt that she was almost all legs, a fact made all the more evident by the short skirt and knee-high boots she wore. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled up in a bun, and her face was perfectly made-up.

Needless to say, in her practice sweats and messy ponytail, Yume felt like an absolute slob in comparison.

"Tania."

Mikhail said her name so softly, Yume almost couldn't hear him. By that time, May had become aware of their unexpected visitor's presence and turned off the music.

"Tatiana, I don't know why you are here," May said, appearing none too pleased to see her former pupil, "but, in case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a private lesson. I am going to have to ask you to lea-"

Mikhail held up his hand, cutting the coach off.

"I wish to speak with her."

"What?" May looked at Mikhail as if he was insane. "Mikhail, we don't have much time to train before the show opens, and you and Yume are still getting used to each other's skating. This is hardly the time nor place for you to have a little chat with your former partner." Mikhail, ignoring her, grabbed his skate guards from off the boards and skated off the ice. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" May demanded to know. "I did not give you permission to leave the ice. Come back here! Mikhail? Mikhail?"

Pretending not to hear May, Mikhail walked over to Tatiana. The two exchanged a few words in Russian before leaving the rink.

May rolled her eyes in exasperation, then turned her attention back to Yume. "Well, even without him, there's no point in wasting precious practice time," she said. "Let's work on the triple axel. Mikhail tells me he's been trying to teach you, so let's see what you've got."

"Um, may I take a bathroom break first?" Yume asked, her eyes on the retreating backs of Mikhail and Tatiana.

Sighing, May waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, go ahead, but I expect you to be back on this ice in ten minutes. You hear me, Yume? Ten minutes." For extra emphasis, she tapped the face of her wristwatch.

Yume nodded, despite having no intention of doing so. She wasn't sure why, but she felt this sudden urge to know what Mikhail and Tatiana were doing. Sneaking out of the rink when May's back was turned, Yume began walking the halls of Kaleido Stage's expansive practice facilities, wondering where Mikhail and his former partner had gone. Unfortunately, she had lost track of them while waiting for the opportunity to sneak away, although Yume thought she had seen them heading in the direction of the dance studios before losing sight of them.

Just when Yume was about to give up her search and head back to the rink, she heard what sounded like Mikhail's voice coming from behind a slightly open door. He was speaking an unfamiliar language.

Yume sighed. "Of course they would be speaking Russian," she muttered to herself. "Did you really expect them to be so courteous as to talk in English so you would be able to understand?"

"Yume, what are you doing here?" a female voice asked from behind her, nearly giving Yume a heart attack. "And why are you wearing your skates? Shouldn't you be at practice?"

Yume quickly turned around and brought a finger to her lips, shushing Elizaveta, who must have just finished her private ballet practice. "Shh!" She checked to make sure Mikhail hadn't heard them, then whispered, "Good, they didn't hear you."

Taking her cue, Elizaveta's voice lowered to a whisper as well. "Why are we whispering?"

Yume pointed to the door. "Mikhail and Tatiana are in there, talking."

"Tatiana? You mean his former partner, Tatiana Pekrovskaya?"

She nodded. "She showed up unexpectedly during our private ice time, and the two of them ran off to talk," Yume explained, frowning. "For some reason, I felt like I had to follow them and see what she wanted, but I can't understand a word they're saying." She sighed again. "If only I spoke Russian…"

Suddenly, Yume's eyes widened, and she turned to Elizaveta like a beacon of hope.

"Hey, wait a minute! You speak Russian, don't you, Liza?" She occasionally heard Elizaveta and her partner Dmitri speaking in a language that sounded a lot like the language Mikhail used when speaking to Sergei and Dmitri.

"Some," Elizaveta said. "My grandmother was Russian, and I had a Russian coach for a while, so I learned a little. I'm not completely fluent, but I understand it well enough. Why?" She began shaking her head before Yume even had the chance to tell her the plan, realizing right away what Yume wanted her to do. "Oh, no. Yume, I am _not_ going to eavesdrop on them for you."

"But I really want to know what they're saying in there!"

"It isn't polite to listen in on other people's private conversations. Besides, I'm supposed to be meeting Dmitri in the gym for weight training."

"Please, Liza," Yume begged, taking Elizaveta's hand. "You know I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't really important to me. Please?"

Elizaveta still didn't quite approve, but she finally relented. "Okay, if it's that important to you…"

"Thanks."

The two girls, after making sure nobody else was around, huddled around the crack in the door, Yume pushing it open a little wider so that she was able to see inside. They were inside one of the smaller private dance studios. Mikhail had taken off his skates and was standing with his back to the door. Tatiana, who was even more beautiful up close, had her arms wrapped around his waist - as she was too short to reach his neck - but Mikhail's hands remained limp at his sides. Yume felt an unexpected flare of jealousy rising up within her for some reason she couldn't quite explain, but she did her best to push it down, remembering the real reason why she was there.

"What is she saying, Liza?"

"She talking about how wonderful it was when they were still together, and how she made a huge mistake when she left him for Ilia, whoever that is."

"That must be the guy she cheated on Mikhail with," Yume guessed, and Elizaveta's eyebrows arched up.

"Wow, so that's why they broke up?"

Yume steered Elizaveta's attention back to the task at hand, not wanting to miss anything important. "What else is she saying?"

"Um… She's telling Mikhail how much she missed him, and…uh…"

"What? What's wrong?"

"You don't want to know."

Of course, that just made Yume want to know even more. "Come on, tell me. It can't be that bad."

Elizaveta, who was normally as pale as a ghost, suddenly turned a deep, dark pink. "She says that Mikhail was an incredible lover, and that Ilia was never able to satisfy her the way that he could."

Yume began blushing as well, wishing she had taken Elizaveta's advice after all. "You're right. I didn't really need to know that."

"I really don't think we should listen to any more of this…"

"Just a couple more minutes, Liza. I just want to know the real reason Tatiana is here."

Finally, Mikhail reached for Tatiana's hands, pulled them away from his waist, and brought them down to her sides. He spoke for the first time since Elizaveta appeared, and Elizaveta started translating without being prompted.

"He's telling her that she has no right to come here and expect that he will take her back after everything that has happened between them. He's moved on with his life, and she should, too. He's also reminding her that his is under contract at Kaleido Stage, so even if he wanted to partner with her again, they would not be able to return to eligible competition. However, she claims that since he hasn't given a professional performance yet, he can still reinstate."

"Is that true?" Yume asked, frowning. Now that she and Mikhail were beginning to get along, she hated the thought of him possibly leaving Kaleido Stage.

"I think so."

"What else?"

"Uh… He says he's not interested in going back to eligible ranks," Elizaveta said, much to Yume's relief. "He's telling her that he has a new partner, and he's very interested in seeing how things progress between you two, so she should just give up on him and go back to Russia."

Yume blushed. "H-He really said that? He's actually invested in our partnership?"

Before Elizaveta could reply, Mikhail abruptly turned around and began walking toward the door, Tatiana calling after him. Yume didn't need Elizaveta's translation to understand that Tatiana was probably begging him to give her a second chance. Quickly, Yume grabbed Elizaveta's arm and yanked her away from the door, trying to act casual.

"So, anyway, Pilar says that Sergei has a _huge_ crush on -"

"Yume!" Mikhail exited the room, Tatiana right behind him, looking none too happy to see her. "What are you doing here?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. "Why aren't you at the rink?"

"Oh, Mikhail!" Yume said, pretending to be surprised. "There you are! You were taking too long, so Coach Wong sent me to come find you. Elizaveta was helping me, right, Liza?" Silently, she pleaded with Elizaveta to play along with her story.

"R-Right! That's exactly what we were doing," Elizaveta stuttered, not sounding very convincing. "Um, I guess since we found you, I'll go meet up with Dmitri now. See you later, Yume."

"Yeah, bye, and thanks."

After Elizaveta left, an awkward silence fell over the three of them, made even more unnerving for Yume by the way Tatiana was staring - or, more correctly, glaring - at her with eyes far more frosty than Mikhail's ever were. She didn't know what she had done to make Tatiana hate her already, but Yume tried her best to put on a friendly face.

"So, Misha," Tatiana finally said, "is this the new partner you are so determined to pair with?"

Mikhail nodded and began the formal introduction. "Yes, this is Yume Naegino, and, Yume, I'd like you to meet my former partner, Tatiana Pekrovskaya."

"Um, it's very nice to meet you, Miss Pekrovskaya. I watched you two skate together at the Olympics. You were amazing," Yume said, hoping flattery would help smooth over whatever offense she had unknowingly done to the Russian beauty.

It didn't work.

"Yes." As if Yume wasn't even there, Tatiana turned to Mikhail and asked, "You want to pair with a Japanese girl? If she was Chinese, I could almost see the appeal, but Japan is only known for its singles skaters. Has she even qualified for a world championship?"

"As a matter of fact, I placed fifth in Warsaw," Yume declared, feeling the need to stick up for herself.

Tatiana arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Is that so? Unless my memory is failing me, which I don't believe it is, I seem to recall the American pair of Bachman and Sims placing fifth at those world championships. Who was your partner?"

"Um, it was in the ladies' competition," she reluctantly admitted. "I only started pairs skating a few months ago. Mikhail is my first official partner."

As Yume expected, her confession was met with a peal of boisterous laughter. "You have got to be kidding me! Misha, you would rather skate with this…amateur, instead of me?"

"As a matter of fact…" Mikhail said, taking Yume's arm, "…I would. Goodbye, Tania. Yume and I have a practice to return to."

Leaving a dumbfounded Tatiana behind, Mikhail and Yume began heading back to the rink, where no doubt May would be furious with both of them for wasting so much of their private ice time. Yume didn't care, though, now that she finally knew that Mikhail truly accepted her as his partner.

"Um, thank you for sticking up for me back there, Mikhail," Yume said, pushing a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail back behind her ear. "I really appreciated it."

Mikhail shrugged, brushing it off as nothing. "Tania was being rude."

"Still, she's right, you know. Even though I turned professional, I am still an amateur when it comes to pairs skating. I wouldn't have really blamed you if you had decided to leave Kaleido Stage and gone back to skating with Tatiana, especially considering your history together."

Mikhail suddenly stopped in his tracks. "How did you know that's what she wanted me to do?" he asked suspiciously, Yume realizing too late she had said too much.

"Uh, lucky guess?" Mikhail gave her a doubtful look, and Yume sighed, deciding it best to tell him the truth. "Okay, I confess. Elizaveta and I eavesdropped on your conversation. That's why we were outside the room."

"You don't speak Russian."

"But Liza does; I had her translate," Yume said. "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't any of my business, but - Mikhail?"

Instead of being angry with her, as she expected, Mikhail began laughing. Actually laughing. He took her by the hand and pulled her back in the direction of the rink.

"Come on, Yume. Coach Wong is probably ready to kill us both."

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"So, is it true?" Pilar demanded to know later that afternoon, grabbing a pair of five pound weights and sitting down on the bench beside Yume, who was in the middle of doing a set of curls. The two of them were the only ones using the gym.

"Is what true?"

"About Tatiana Pekrovskaya visiting Kaleido Stage, of course. I heard you and Liza were spying on her and Mikhail earlier."

"We weren't spying!" Yume declared, pausing a moment to switch her weight to the other arm. "Okay, well, maybe we were," she admitted. "Just a little."

Pilar laughed. "Hey, you don't have to justify yourself with me. I would do the same thing if I was in your position. So what did the Ice Princess want?"

"Elizaveta didn't tell you?"

"Oh, you know Liza. She doesn't think it's any of my business. It was only by accident that she even let your little spy game slip," she said. "So? Spill."

"You know, Pilar, Liza's right," Yume pointed out. "It's not really any of your business."

"It wasn't any of your business either, what those two were talking about, but that didn't stop you from eavesdropping on them, did it?"

As much as Yume hated to admit it, Pilar had a point. "Tatiana just came to ask Mikhail to give her a second chance, that's all. She wants to be partners with him again."

"And is he? Going back to her?"

"No. He made it perfectly clear to her that he wants to stay here at Kaleido Stage and continue skating with me." Feeling her cheeks start to warm again at the memory of Mikhail standing up for her in front of Tatiana, Yume rose to her feet and put her weight away, careful not to let Pilar see her blush.

"Well, that's good. It would suck if he suddenly decided to drop out of the show."

"Yeah."

"I bet you're glad, too."

"Of course I am. He's my partner. Without him, I would probably be out of a job here at Kaleido Stage."

"I'm not talking about your career, Yume." Pilar joined her over by the weights and lowered her voice, despite the fact that nobody else was around to overhear. "Come on, you can tell me, just between us girls. There's something going on between you and Mikhail, isn't there?"

"What?" Yume almost dropped the weight she had picked up, caught off-guard by Pilar's question.

"Oh, don't act so surprised! My room is right next to yours. I know you've been going out every night for the past couple of weeks, sneaking back in just before curfew."

Yume rolled her eyes. "Oh, that? Mikhail and I have been holding late-night practices at the rink. He's teaching me how to consistently land the triple axel."

"Is that all?" Pilar sighed, obviously not finding the truth juicy enough for her standards. "How boring."

"I don't think so. He's…different during our private practices."

Pilar's interest was piqued again. "Oh? How so?"

"He's…more open, I guess," Yume said, absent-mindedly twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger. "Not quite as cold and stand-offish as he usually is."

"I knew it!" Pilar declared, pointing a finger in Yume's direction. "You totally have a crush on the Ice Prince, don't you?"

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I -" Yume stopped mid-protest, realizing how childish they sounded. "Look, Pilar, the only feelings I have for Mikhail are as his pairs partner and maybe a friend. That's it."

"If you say so, but I think you're living in denial," Pilar said in a sing-song voice. "You so have a thing for him."

Yume grabbed her duffel bag and started heading to the door, having had enough of the conversation. "I'm going back to my room to take a shower before dinner."

"Denial!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 _Pilar has way too active an imagination,_ Yume thought later that night as she prepared for yet another late practice with Mikhail. All through dinner, she had to put up with Pilar mouthing the word "denial" whenever the rest of the girls weren't paying attention to them. At least she had the decency to keep her unfounded suspicions to herself, though.

"I _don't_ have a crush on him," she muttered as she styled her hair into a bun, unaware that she had voiced the thought aloud until Fool responded.

"On who?"

"None of your business."

"Come on, you can tell me, Yume," he said. "Who am I going to tell? You and Sora are the only ones who can see me."

"It's none of your business," she repeated, securing the bun into place.

Fool turned his back to her in a snit. "Fine, be that way. Like I care about who you _don't_ have a crush on."

"Does that mean you care about - Oh, no, I'm late!" Noticing the time, Yume grabbed her skates and headed down to the rink.

She expected Mikhail to be already on the ice and waiting for her when she arrived, but the rink was empty despite the fact she was nearly ten minutes late for their practice. Yume put on her skates and began warming up, wondering what was keeping him. He hadn't said anything about starting at a later time or canceling the practice to her recollection.

"So where is that partner of yours?" Fool asked, startling Yume and causing her to trip on a simple crossover.

"Fool!" She got back to her feet and glared at the Spirit of the Stage. "I thought I told you not to bother me when I'm practicing."

"No, I believe you told me not to bother you when other people were around."

"Well, Mikhail is going to be here any moment, so shoo!" she said, waving him away.

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't appreciate being treated like a dog?"

"Fine, Fool, just go. Please? I don't want Mikhail to come in here and think I'm crazy for talking to myself."

"If he is even coming. Wasn't your practice supposed to start at nine?"

"Yeah." Yume glanced down at her watch, frowning when she saw it was almost forty after. "He is running a bit late tonight."

"It looks to me like you were stood up."

"No, I'm sure he'll be here soon," she said. "Just give him a few more minutes."

But a few more minutes passed by with no sign of Mikhail. At five minutes before ten, Yume gave up on waiting for him. She stepped off the ice and began taking off her skates.

"See, I told you," Fool said, having kept her company while she waited. "He stood you up."

"I'm sure he has a good explanation," Yume said. "Maybe he's sick or something."

"And he couldn't call or send somebody to let you know?"

Yume had the same thought, but she wanted to give Mikhail the benefit of a doubt. After what he had said earlier to Tatiana about their partnership, she didn't think he would blow off their practice for no reason. "I'm going to see if he's home," she decided.

She headed towards the men's dormitory, annoyed when she discovered Fool still following her. "Fool, go away," she muttered out of the side of her mouth in case anybody was around. "There's no need for you to come with me."

"I'm curious."

"About what?"

"If Mikhail can see me."

"You already tested him, remember? He couldn't see you at all."

"That was then; this is now," Fool said. "Things may have changed in the meantime."

She sighed. "Fine, you can come along if you want, but don't talk to me unless it's clear that Mikhail can see you, too."

Yume wasn't certain what room he lived in, but she happened to run into Dmitri in the lobby, who was happy to give her directions. She went up to the second floor and knocked on the first door she came across. "Mikhail, it's me. Can we talk?"

It took a few moments before the door opened, but the one who answered was not Mikhail, as she expected. Instead, it was a petite blonde woman, dressed only in an over-sized T-shirt that Yume suspected belonged to Mikhail. Fool immediately began salivating over her, but Yume couldn't berate him without looking foolish.

"Oh, it's you, that Japanese girl," Tatiana said, leaning against the doorway. "What do you want with Misha at this hour?"

"Um, Mikhail and I were supposed to meet for practice about an hour ago," Yume said once she got over her immediate shock. "I was worried when he didn't show up, so I wanted to check and make sure he was okay."

"He's fine. Now, if you will excuse us…"

Tatiana reached for the doorknob to close the door, but Yume held it back, wanting some answers. Though it seemed pretty obvious what had kept Mikhail from practice, there may have been another explanation for why Tatiana was in his room. "Wait, can I at least talk to him, just for a minute?"

"He's in the shower right now."

"Oh." She frowned, debating whether or not she should wait for him to come out. She wanted to hear what Mikhail had to say, but on the other hand, she didn't want to come off as if she was some kind of jealous girlfriend. "Well, will you tell him I stopped by?" she finally decided, pausing for a moment before shaking her head. "No, on second thought, don't bother. It's not important."

Tatiana shrugged. "Whatever," she said before closing the door on Yume's face.

Fool let out a moan the second she disappeared from sight. "Oh, why couldn't I have appeared to somebody like her?" he mooned, staring forlornly at the door.

"First Zoe, now Tatiana?" Yume groused, grabbing the perverted Spirit of the Stage around his middle as she turned to leave and head back to her own dorm room. "If I'm not sexy enough for you, then why don't you go find somebody else to leer at, you lech?"

"Wow, you're suddenly in a foul mood."'

"I am not."

"Really?" Fool managed to squirm his way out of Yume's hold on him and flew up in front of her face "You could have fooled me."

"Oh, shut up. Do you want somebody to hear you?"

"You're the one who should be worried about being overheard - or have you forgotten that you're the only one who can see or hear me?"

Yume immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing that she'd been talking at normal volume without being aware of it. Fortunately, she didn't see anybody else around. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed. "What if somebody saw?"

"I did tell you, just now," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well…"

Unable to come up with a clever retort, Yume shut her mouth and kept quiet until the two of them returned to her room.

"So, what has you in such a bad mood, anyway?" Fool asked while Yume prepared herself a cup of tea.

"Nothing, I told you. I'm fine."

He scoffed. "And I'm the King of England."

Yume rolled her eyes. "It's just… If he had a date with Tatiana, he should have at least told me instead of standing me up at practice," she said. "I mean, what if I wanted to go out on a date tonight, too?"

Fool snorted, trying unsuccessfully to hide his laughter behind one of his hands. Yume arched an eyebrow in his direction, none too amused, and began pouring hot water into her tea bowl.

"What? You don't think I could get a date if I wanted one?"

He muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "Well, that would be a good start," which Yume thought was a rather strange thing to say. Assuming she must have just heard him wrong, she ignored him.

"I could, you know," she continued. "Sure, I've never had a boyfriend, and I've never even been kissed… And I'm not beautiful like Tatiana or incredibly flexible like Zoe or as sexy as Pilar or as smart as Becca…"

"Uh, Yume?"

"And I wish I had pretty hair like Clarissa's…

"Yume?"

"Or gorgeous blue eyes like Liza's…"

"Yume?"

"But I have my good points, too!"

"I take it paying attention isn't one of them," Fool said, pointing down at Yume's tea bowl.

"Eek!" She had forgotten what she was doing, causing her tea bowl to overflow, water covering almost the entire counter and dripping onto the floor. "Tell me these things sooner!" she shouted at Fool, grabbing some paper towels from the cabinet to soak up the liquid.

"I tried to, but you wouldn't listen."

"Argh! Just help me clean this up."

Once the mess had been mopped up, Yume dumped the rest of the tea in the sink, having lost her thirst for it, and headed to her bedroom to go to bed, leaving Fool to stare into her unwashed cup.


	14. The Bet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Délat' iz múkhi sloná" is a Russian saying meaning "to make an elephant out of a fly." The equivalent saying in English is "to make a mountain out of a molehill."

When Yume arrived at the rink for practice the next morning, Mikhail was standing outside the doors, waiting for her.

"Yume."

Yume - along with Clarissa, who was walking along with her- came to a stop at the sound of her name, though she didn't say anything to him, still annoyed that he had skipped out on their practice the night before.

"Can we talk?" he asked, coming up to her. His icy blue eyes briefly flashed over to Clarissa. "Privately?"

"Um, I should go inside and start warming up," Clarissa said, getting the hint. "Jason's probably waiting for me."

"I'll join you in a sec," Yume said as Clarissa opened the doors and went inside. Once they were alone, Yume crossed her arms and turned her attention to Mikhail, interested in what he had to say for himself. "Well?"

"You're angry about last night," he noticed, leaning his back up against the wall. "I thought you would be."

"Of course I am. You stood me up, Mikhail. I waited for you for an hour, but you never showed."

He sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

Though his apology sounded genuine, Yume wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. "If you had a date, you should have just told me," she said. "I wouldn't have minded if you had cancelled."

"A date? What makes you think I was on a date?"

His question took her mildly by surprise. Even though she told Tatiana not to bother telling Mikhail that she had come by his room to look for him, Yume assumed she would do so anyway.

"Well, you were, weren't you?"

"I went out, yes, but I wouldn't call it a date," he said, frowning. "Tania invited me out to a late dinner. She said she wanted to discuss some things, but by the time I got back to Kaleido Stage, it was already well after nine, so I assumed you had already left. I didn't realize you were still waiting."

"I'm supposed to believe that?" Yume asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It's the truth."

She scoffed. "I'm not an idiot, Mikhail. I saw her."

"Who?"

"Tatiana. I dropped by your dorm around ten to ask you why you hadn't come to practice, but she was the one who answered the door, dressed in one of your T-shirts. She said you were in the shower."

To Yume's surprise, Mikhail rolled his eyes. "That Tania," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I knew I had heard somebody knocking at the door, but she said I had just imagined it."

"So you're not even going to deny she was there?"

"Why would I? You spoke with her yourself. It would be stupid to lie about that."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Yume admitted. "Still, why was she in your room last night?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes slightly narrowed as he stared down at her. "You know what? I don't believe that is any of your business, Yume," he said.

"None of my business? Yesterday afternoon, you were saying you had no interest whatsoever in pairing back up with Tatiana, but just a few hours later, you decided to blow off our practice to go on a date with her? I say that is my business."

"I told you already, it wasn't a date."

"Fine. You blew off our practice to sleep with her. Is that more accurate?" she shot back.

"You know what? Believe whatever you want," he said, starting to head inside the rink. "You coming?"

Yume followed after him, still fuming.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was their worst practice ever.

Whatever unison they had managed to develop over the past few weeks had disappeared. Their spins were out of sync, their side-by-side jumps a disaster, and Yume was so unfocused that she wasn't able to land a single throw jump they attempted. Worst of all, Mikhail had begun giving her the silent treatment again, not saying a single non-skating-related word to her all through practice.

"Mikhail, Yume, stay. I want to talk to you two," Coach Wong announced after practice. "The rest of you, good work today. Dominique and Sebastien, I'll see you after lunch for your private practice."

Yume watched as the other skaters filed off the ice, wishing she could follow after them. May Wong was a terror to face when she was angry, and judging by the look in her eyes, she was absolutely furious. Indeed, the moment the last skater left the rink, she rounded on them and let them have it.

"Okay, what the HELL was that just now?" May barked. "You two skated like five-year-olds stepping out on the ice for the very first time, not like an Olympic gold medalist and a Four Continents champion!"

"We just had an off-day, Coach," Yume said with a shrug, sneaking a glance over at Mikhail, who stood silently beside her with his arms crossed. "It happens to everybody, right?"

"Oh, no, this was way more than just an 'off-day'. Something is going on between you two, and I want to know what it is, so spill."

"It's nothing, really," she insisted, wishing Mikhail would say something, anything at all. "Right, Mikhail?"

After a brief pause, she got her wish.

"This is a waste of time," he muttered. "Coach, can we leave now? I have somewhere else I need to be."

"Another date with Tatiana?" Yume retorted, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"What does Tatiana have to do with this?" May demanded to know.

"Nothing," Mikhail said, rolling his eyes. "Yume's just blowing things out of proportion and getting upset over nothing. _Délat' iz múkhi sloná_!"

Yume glared at him. She had no idea what that last part meant, but she had a feeling that it wasn't anything complimentary. "Nothing? Don't you think I have a right to know if you plan to dump me to pair back up with your ex-girlfriend?"

"I already told you, I have no intention of going back to her."

"Your words and your actions don't match up."

"What actions? We went out to dinner. Is that such a crime?"

"You slept with her."

"That's your version of events."

"Well, it was pretty obvious what happened."

"It's none of your business what happened."

"Maybe not, but -"

"Okay, that is it!" May shouted, stepping in between them and pushing them apart. "I have had just about enough of this nonsense. Until the two of you work through your issues, you are hereby banned from skating practices."

"What?" they both exclaimed, in unison for the first time that morning.

"You heard me. There's no point in you practicing together if you keep skating the way you skated today. You'll just be wasting my time. Do you realize that I was so busy working with you two idiots this morning, that I barely had time to pay attention to any of the other skaters? So, that's it. I don't want to see either one of you at this rink until you've called a truce. Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine, whatever," Mikhail said. "Can I go now? I'm late for a meeting with Kalos." He seemed to direct the last part at Yume, who blushed, embarrassed about her previous assumption.

"Yes, go on ahead. You, too, Yume."

Mikhail skated off, Yume following after him a few moments later, ashamed of how she had acted in front of May. She had no idea what had gotten into her or why the idea of Mikhail spending time with his ex bothered her so much. Like he said, it really wasn't any of her business what he did in his private life.

"Mikhail, listen," Yume said, sitting down beside him on the bench where he was taking off skates. "About this morning, I -"

Without a word, he stood back up, swung his skates over his shoulder, and left the rink.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Seriously? Coach Wong banned both you and Mikhail from coming to skating practice?" Clarissa exclaimed when Yume arrived at her next class, aerobics, and told her and Pilar about what happened after everybody had left the rink.

"It's true," Yume admitted, letting out a sigh as she began her warm-up stretches. "She said she didn't see the point of us coming to practice until we stopped fighting."

"Can she even do that?" Pilar asked. "I mean, you guys are the stars of the next show, for crying out loud!"

Clarissa frowned. "More importantly, what are you two fighting about anyway? I thought you were getting along better as of late."

"I know - must be a lovers' quarrel!" For some reason, Pilar seemed almost gleeful about the idea.

"Pilar!" Yume glared at her. "How many times do I have to tell you, I don't -"

"- have a crush on Mikhail?" she completed for Yume. "Yeah, sorry, you're never going to convince me, because I know it's true."

"It is not!"

"Is, too!

"Is not!"

"Is, too!"

"Is n-"

"Will you two knock it off?" Clarissa said. "Everybody is looking at us!"

Yume glanced around the room, blushing when she saw that they were indeed the center of attention. She turned back around and lowered her voice. "It was just a stupid fight over nothing," she told Clarissa, refusing to go into any more details lest Pilar get the wrong idea about things. "I tried to apologize to him before he left the rink, but he ignored me."

"Well, you're going to have to get him to listen to you somehow. You can't be banned from practices forever."

"Maybe instead of an apology, Mikhail would rather start skating with another partner," a haughty voice said from the spot behind Yume, intruding on the conversation. She spoke with an unmistakable French accent.

"I don't believe anybody asked for your opinion, Dominique," Pilar said, craning her neck to look back at the unpopular skater. "And didn't your parents ever teach you it wasn't nice to eavesdrop on people's private conversations?"

Both Clarissa and Yume had to hide their snickers, amazed by Pilar's blatant hypocrisy. Dominique, however, took their laughter the wrong way, assuming they were making fun of her.

"I wouldn't take things so lightly, if I were you, Yume," she said. "Mikhail's the one everybody wants to see, not some unknown upstart who only has two throw jumps in her arsenal and can barely pull off a split triple twist. Face it - you're replaceable. If you two aren't getting along, then the obvious solution is to pair him up with somebody else."

"And you think that person should be you?" Pilar scoffed.

Dominique flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "Of course. I am the only one here who can match Mikhail's technical ability, after all."

"You didn't do so hot at the auditions, as I seem to recall."

"Nobody did, because of that stupid test the boss suggested. Kalos knew Yume could never compete with the rest of us on a technical level, so he came up with the idea of improvised programs, knowing that none of us would be able to perform our best. If it had been a proper pairs audition, I certainly would have won."

"Hey, it takes more than just technical skills to be a great performer, you know," Clarissa said. "Kaleido Stage isn't the Olympics or the World Championships. As long as the audience is enjoying her performance, it doesn't matter if Yume doesn't do the more difficult pairs tricks."

"Besides, Mikhail's been helping Yume with her triple axel these past couple of weeks," Pilar added, a smug look on her face. "I bet you can't do a triple axel, can you?"

"Pilar…" Yume begged, not liking where the conversation was heading.

"You can do a triple axel?" Dominique asked, her eyes flashing over to Yume.

"Well, I'm still not very consistent…"

"Oh, in that case, who cares? Anybody can get lucky and land a hard jump every once in a while."

"It's more than just luck!" Yume said, her hands clenching into fists. "Mikhail has been a great teacher, and he's really helped me improve my technique. I may not have completely mastered the axel yet, but that doesn't mean I can't do it!"

"You tell her, Yume!" Pilar said, cheering her on.

"In that case, why don't we make a bet?" Dominique suggested. "Give me one week to learn the axel. Then we'll have a little contest. The person who manages to land the most triple axels in ten attempts will be declared the winner. If I win, you step aside so I can take your place as Mikhail's partner."

"And if I win?" Yume asked.

"Then you can keep him, of course."

Pilar frowned. "Wait a minute. That doesn't sound like much of a bet to me. Yume already has him, so why should she agree to this and risk losing him if she doesn't get something else out of it?"

"Okay, how about this? To sweeten the deal, I'll even agree to stop telling people that the only reason Yume was hired was because of her connections."

"Zoe Alexander, too," Yume added, thinking of the bullied contortionist. "You have to stop spreading rumors about both of us."

"Fine, I accept your terms. Do we have a deal?"

Yume hesitated for only a moment before shaking the hand Dominique offered. "Deal."

"Hey, don't you two think Mikhail should have some sort of say in this?" Clarissa asked, a skeptical look on her face. "I mean, he is the prize, so to speak. What if he doesn't want to honor the agreement?"

"Oh, don't sweat the small stuff, Clarissa," Pilar said, grinning. "Besides, in the end, it won't matter anyway, because Yume is obviously going to win."

"I wouldn't be so certain about that," Dominique trilled, looking positively gleeful.

Yume instantly regretted what she had done.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm a total idiot," Yume declared later at dinner. "Why did I ever agree to that stupid bet?"

"Come on, Yume, cheer up," Pilar said. "You're worrying over nothing. No matter how great a jumper Dominique is, she's never going to be able to master the triple axel in only a week."

"She seems to think she can."

"Well, then, she's the idiot, not you."

"It certainly would be nice if you won and Dominique agreed to stop gossiping about us," Zoe said with a sigh, moving her corn around with her fork without taking a bite. "Earlier today, one of her followers thought it would be fun to steal my leotard from my gym locker. I didn't have time to go back to my room to grab another, so I had to do ballet in my street clothes. When the girl finally gave it back to me after class, she had written 'Daddy's Little Princess' on the front with permanent marker."

Beside her, Becca steamed with barely concealed rage. "I still say you should go to your parents and tell them what happened."

"No, that'll just make things worse. Everyone will just accuse me of using my influence to get her in trouble. I know they will, even the ones who know what she did."

"But that girl is bullying you, Zoe!"

"All the more reason for Yume to win the bet," Pilar said, but Yume was barely listening.

Her attention had been caught by Mikhail's arrival in the cafeteria, along with Sergei and Dmitri. The three of them walked right past the table where the girls were sitting on the way to the buffet line, Mikhail seeming to make a point of pretending that Yume wasn't there even though both his friends called out friendly greetings to their respective partners. Yume sighed and stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

"It's official: he hates me," she muttered. "Maybe I should just let Dominique have him, no matter what the outcome of the bet…"

"Yume, Mikhail doesn't hate you," Clarissa said. "He's just angry. Give him a couple of days to cool off, then I'm sure he'll be more receptive to an apology."

"You really think so?"

"You said it yourself that the fight was over nothing important, right? So he can't stay mad at you forever."

"I hope you're right, Clarissa."

Near the end of dinner, Clarissa's partner Jason, who had been sitting with Mikhail and the other male skaters, walked over to their table and sat down backwards in the empty chair beside the redhead. Clarissa's cheeks went flush, but after giving Zoe an appreciative glance, Jason turned his attention to Yume.

"So, Yume, there appears to be some rumor going around that you and Dominique are going to compete in a triple axel challenge. Is it true?"

"My, my, word certainly travels fast around here," Pilar said, though she seemed pleased. "Did Mikhail send you over?"

"Well, yeah," he admitted, "but we're all a little curious. Sebastian says Dominique has been holed up in the rink ever since they finished their session with Coach Wong, practicing her triple axel non-stop. It doesn't even look like she took a break for dinner."

"That's not healthy," Yume said, frowning at the news. "She needs her energy if she's going to practice that much."

Pilar groaned, rubbing at her forehead. "Yume, she's the competition, in case you've forgotten. Don't worry about her eating habits."

"Even if she is my rival, that doesn't mean I want her to hurt herself."

"So it's true?" Jason asked. "You two are really going to challenge each other to do the triple axel?"

"A week from today," Yume said. "It was her idea. The winner will become Mikhail's partner."

"Whoa, he never mentioned anything about that!"

"Probably because Mikhail doesn't know yet," Clarissa said with a roll of her eyes, speaking for the first time since Jason joined them. "They made the bet without even consulting him about it first."

"I see. Well, I bet he'll be interested in hearing this." Grinning, Jason stood back up and turned the chair back around. "Thanks for the info, ladies! See ya."

"Do you really think Mikhail will be upset when he finds out about the bet?" Yume asked Clarissa once Jason had left to rejoin his group. The last thing she needed was for Mikhail to be even more angry with her than he already was.

She shrugged. "All I know is I certainly wouldn't like it if I was in his position."

Yume sighed, burying her head in her arms. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted letting Dominique talk her into making the bet. Clarissa was right. They were acting like eight-year-olds, fighting over a favorite toy. It was too late to back out now that everybody knew about it, though. If she did, Dominique and everybody else would think she was a coward, and the bullying toward Zoe would probably get even worse.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Yume," Pilar said, rubbing her back. "For now, just concentrate on winning the bet. If you do, I'm sure everything will work out in the end."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yume headed down to the practice rink at around nine, surprised when she heard the faint sound of pop music coming from inside. Even after all that had happened between them, had Mikhail decided to resume their triple axel practices? Her heartbeat quickening, Yume pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Rather than the Ice Prince, however, the one on the ice was Dominique, still practicing her triple axels. Yume let out a heavy sigh, berating herself for even hoping that Mikhail would come. Of course he wouldn't. If she wanted to win the bet, she would have to do it on her own.

Dominique didn't seem to notice Yume's arrival, too wrapped up in her training. After switching into her skates, Yume walked over to the boards and watched as her rival launched herself into another triple axel. She had a natural technique in the air, easily completing the three-and-a-half rotations required of the jump, but she ran into some trouble on the landing, taking a horrendous fall. Yume gasped and stepped onto the ice, skating over to Dominique, who had yet to get up.

"Are you okay?" she asked, holding out her hand to Dominique.

The French skater stared at Yume's hand for a long moment before finally accepting her assistance. Yume helped pull her back to her feet, taking note of the number of scrapes and bruises that covered her arms and legs. She had earned yet another cut from that last fall, a bloody gash on the back of her left calf from the blade of her skate.

"Dominique, you need to have someone look at that. Come on, I'll help you to the clinic."

But Dominique brushed her off, skating over to the boards. "It's nothing," she insisted, trying without success to hold back a wince as she placed a wet towel against the cut. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"But -"

"I'm your competition, Yume. Don't you have something better to do with your time than worry about me?"

"But you're hurt…"

"I said I was fine."

"Are you sure?"

"You came here to practice, right?" Dominique asked. "Well, go ahead. You can have the rink. I think I've practiced enough for today."

Yume watched as Dominique hobbled off the ice, still concerned about her despite their history. She knew how much Dominique wanted to win the bet, but she was going to seriously hurt herself if she kept up that kind of training.

"The girl has guts; you have to give her that much," Fool said, again appearing out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here, Fool?" Yume asked, starting her warm up. She didn't even bother to lecture him, realizing that Fool would do whatever he wanted, no matter how many times she yelled at him.

"All of Kaleido Stage is abuzz about the upcoming Triple Axel Showdown between you and that girl, so I thought I would come by and check her out."

"And?" she prodded, getting the feeling he wanted to add something else.

"Well, I hate to say it, but she's good," Fool admitted. "Really good."

"Has she managed to land any yet?"

"Not cleanly, no, but I saw her come close at least a few times while I was observing her. It won't be long before she does start landing them, if she keeps up the same level of training."

"Great," Yume muttered. "Just what I wanted to hear."

"You don't sound too confident about your chances of winning this thing."

"Of course I'm not." She clenched her fists at her side. "Dominique's a much better jumper than I am. Maybe if Mikhail was still coaching me, I might have a decent chance of beating her, but…"

"What happened between you and the Ice Prince, anyway?" he asked. "Don't tell me you're still upset about last night."

"I don't want to talk about it, Fool."

"Fine, I won't pry, but what are you going to do now? If he's not going to help you with your axel…"

"Then I'll just have to keep working on it on my own," Yume declared. "That's all I can do. I'll work hard and hope for the best."


	15. Doubts

Since she and Mikhail were still banned from attending skating practices, Yume woke up much earlier than usual with the intention of getting in at least a couple of hours of ice time before lessons officially began. She let out a huge yawn as she sat up and stretched out her arms, accidentally punching Fool in the face.

"Hey!"

"Oops, sorry, Fool," she said, swinging her legs over to the side of the bed. "Didn't see you - Waaaah!"

"Are you all right?"

From her spot on the ground, Yume groaned and rubbed at her hip. In her haste to get up, she had forgotten she had dropped her duffel bag on the floor last night, too tired from practice to do anything but fall straight into bed. She had even slept in her sweaty practice clothes, a fact that caused Fool to pinch at his nose in disgust when he moved closer to her and caught a whiff.

"Ugh, you smell awful! Yume, go take a bath, and for once, I'm not just saying that just so I can see you naked."

"I'm going, I'm going," she said, drowsily rising back to her feet and heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

The blast of freezing cold water managed to wake her up a little more, but she was still quite out of it when she came back out. She barely acknowledged Fool's presence as she started getting dressed right in front of lecherous Spirit of the Stage, giving him quite the view until she caught sight of him literally drooling out of the corner of her eye.

"You pervert!" she shrieked, tossing him in the desk drawer.

"But you were the one giving me the free show," he protested from inside. "You can't blame me for doing what comes naturally to a man!"

"I can, and I will."

"Yume! Come on, let me out of here! This isn't funny."

After she finished changing into some clean clothes, Yume took pity on Fool and released him before heading to the kitchenette to make some tea and toast. She needed caffeine and carbs, and fast.

"What are you doing up so early anyway?" Fool asked. "The sun hasn't even risen yet, and you barely got any sleep at all last night."

"Axel practice," she mumbled, fighting back another yawn as she sat down at the table with her breakfast. "I'm not allowed on the ice during the day, so I have to find whatever time I can to practice."

"I see…"

Yume took a sip of her tea and let out a sigh. Even though she had practiced until well after midnight the night before, her consistency on the triple axel had not improved at all. In fact, she got the feeling her technique was getting worse as she fell back into her old bad habits without Mikhail's guidance to keep her in line.

 _It really might be impossible to win against Dominique without his help_ , she thought to herself. _I don't know if I can do it by myself_.

She finished off her tea and toast and began to clear away the dishes, noticing that Fool was staring inside her empty cup again. He had done the same thing a couple of nights ago when she caught Tatiana in Mikhail's dorm room. "Okay, so what exactly are you doing?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity any further.

"Tasseography," he replied without even looking back up.

"Tasseography? You mean, like reading tea leaves?" She sat back down at the table. "What happened to your tarot and crystal ball?" From what she remembered of Sora's stories, those were the methods he favored when it came to his fortune-telling.

"I felt like a change. Would you like to know what your future holds?"

Yume stood up again and reached for the cup. "No thanks," she said, rinsing it out at the sink. "I don't believe in that kind of stuff. A street psychic once told me I would win an Olympic gold medal, and, well, that obviously didn't happen."

"Perhaps that psychic simply misinterpreted the signs."

"Maybe so, but I still think it's kind of silly to put much stock in fortune-telling. I believe a person creates their own future."

"In that case, will you allow me to at least give you a little friendly advice?" he asked, floating above her shoulder.

She glanced over at him. "What is that? Do you know the secret to performing a consistent triple axel?"

"No, but I do know that if you continue following your current path, you will never achieve your goal."

"You mean I'll lose to Dominique?"

He shrugged. "Interpret it how you will, but know that the future can also be changed by the decisions you make or the people you meet."

"Isn't that what I said before?" she said, walking back to her bedroom to grab her skates. "Don't worry about me, Fool. If I continue to work hard, I'm sure it'll work out in the end, somehow."

Leaving Fool behind, Yume headed down to the rink and began her practice. Despite her best efforts, however, she was unable to get Fool's "advice" out of her head. She had tried to sound cool and confident in front of him, but maybe Fool's fortune-telling wasn't so off the mark. After all, she had yet to land a single clean triple axel so far that morning...

 _Come on, don't let what that little pervert said get to you, Yume,_ she mentally berated herself, dusting the ice off the back of her leggings from yet another fall. _If you start believing you're going to fail, it's over before you've even begun. You just need to forget about it and concentrate on -_

She was startled from her thoughts when she heard the door to the rink open. Yume spun back around, her eyes widening when she saw who was standing at the entrance.

"Mikhail!"

At the sound of his name, Mikhail immediately turned around to leave.

"Wait, Mikhail!" she called out, skating over to the boards and grabbing her skate guards.

To her surprise, he actually stayed where he was and waited patiently for her to join him.

"I didn't realize you were in here," he said when she came over. "Sorry for interrupting your practice."

Yume shook her head. "I don't mind," she said, glad that he was at least talking to her again. Maybe he just needed a little time to get over what happened, like Clarissa had said. "It looks like we had the same idea, huh? You don't have to leave, you know. There's plenty of ice for the both of us, and I -"

"No, I don't think I should," Mikhail interrupted.

"But why? If this is about the other day, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that. You were right. Whatever you do - or don't do - with Tatiana off the ice is none of my business."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"Really? You forgive me?" She let out a sigh of relief. "That's great! Now Coach Wong will allow us to come back to practice, and you can help me perfect my triple ax-"

Mikhail held up a hand, signaling her to stop. "There's something I think you should know, Yume," he said, leaning up against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "I've agreed to become Dominique Fontenot's coach."

Yume felt as if she had just been punched in the gut. "What? You're coaching Dominique?"

"She came to me last night and asked me to help her with her triple axel. I thought it sounded interesting, so I agreed."

"B-But -"

"I've already taught you everything I know about landing the axel, so shouldn't Dominique get that same chance to ensure a fair competition?"

It was hard to find fault with that logic, but… "In that case, why not train us both?"

"Dominique's a complete beginner when it comes to the triple axel. If she's to become good enough by the end of the week to compete against you, I need to focus only on her training. I won't have time to work with you."

"Then… Would you rather skate with her, after all?" Yume asked, clutching at the front of her sweatshirt. "Jason told you, right? That whoever wins the competition earns the right to be your partner?"

"I'm aware of the wager, yes."

"So you don't care who you skate with?"

"I want to skate with the best," he replied. "This competition will be a good challenge for both of you. No matter who wins, I will honor the agreement, so if you want to continue skating with me, then prove that you deserve it. Win the showdown and show me that you are a worthy partner."

With that announcement, Mikhail turned around and left the rink.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 _That arrogant jerk!_ Yume thought a couple of hours later, plopping down on the sand after she had finished running the length of the beach. _He hasn't forgiven me at all!_

If Mikhail truly had forgiven her, he would have said that the competition didn't matter, that he wanted to continue skating as her partner no matter what the outcome of the showdown was. Instead, he had done almost the complete opposite by agreeing to coach her main rival. No matter what Mikhail said about "fairness" and wanting to skate with the "best," it seemed pretty obvious to Yume that he would much rather skate with the more technically sound Dominique. It had been stupid to believe that they could ever become real partners in the first place.

She threw an arm over her eyes, blocking out the mid-morning sun. What was she going to do if she lost the showdown and Mikhail partnered with Dominique? She had uprooted her entire life to skate with him. At this point, would she really be happy skating with somebody else? Sebastian - Dominique's current partner - was a good skater, but the thought of pairing with him felt…hollow, somehow. Uninspiring.

And what about Fool's claim that she was "destined for the stage"? Granted, Yume wasn't the type to normally believe in that sort of thing, but he had been right about Sora, and a part of her had really wanted to have faith that she if she worked hard enough, she could someday become a true Kaleido Star, just like her sister. However, if she couldn't even get Mikhail to acknowledge her as his true partner…

"Hey, you," a heavily accented voice called out, distracting Yume from her thoughts.

She sat back up and looked behind her, surprised to see Tatiana Pekrovskaya, of all people, walking toward her. She glanced around, wondering if Tatiana was referring to somebody else, but Yume was the only other person in the vicinity. All the other skaters - including Mikhail, working as Dominique's coach - were at the rink, having practice.

"Yes, you, the Japanese girl," Tatiana said, apparently noticing Yume's confusion.

"Um, if you're looking for Mikhail, he's not here," Yume said, trying to brush the sand out of her matted hair. Somehow, Tatiana seemed to have a knack for showing up whenever she was a sweaty mess. "He should be at the practice rink. You should check there."

"I'm not looking for Misha." The petite blonde came to a stop, arms folded over her chest as she looked down at Yume. "I was actually looking for you."

"Me?"

She nodded. "Honestly, though, why must I be the one to clear up this silly misunderstanding? You were the one who jumped to conclusions. It's not like it's my fault, although I can't say I didn't try…"

"Uh, Miss Pekrovskaya?" Yume interrupted. "What is this all about? Why were you looking for me?"

"Misha sent me," Tatiana said. Without invitation, she sat down beside Yume. "He wanted me to tell you the truth about what really happened that night he didn't show up at your little practice."

Yume shook her head. The last thing she wanted to hear was all the intimate details. "You don't need to do that. Really. I overreacted. If you and Mikhail are dating again, then I -"

"We're not. Not that I haven't tried to win him back." Tatiana sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I doubt you'll believe me, but nothing happened between us that night. I admit I wanted something to happen, and even spilled some wine on my dress on purpose so I would have an excuse to come up to his dorm room, but my seduction failed." Her voice softened. "He doesn't want to be my partner anymore, on or off the ice."

"Miss Pekrovskaya…"

"It's fine." She turned her head away, brushing a hand across her cheek. "I knew what his answer would be even before I came, but I had to at least try, you know?"

"But if the reason why you were in his room that night was so innocent, why didn't Mikhail tell me that himself?" Yume asked, her hands balling into fists. "I just don't understand him sometimes. It's so, so…frustrating!"

"Look, there's something you should probably know if you're going to be his new partner," Tatiana said after a brief pause. She had mostly lost the antagonistic tone in her voice. "The thing that Mikhail values most in the world is trust."

"Trust?"

"It's what makes him such a great pairs partner…and boyfriend. He's the dependable sort. When we were on the ice together, I never worried that he would drop me or make a mistake, and I knew he would never cheat or lie to me. He's just not the type of guy. I think it has a lot to do with his family situation."

"His family situation?"

"He hasn't told you anything about his family?"

"No, he hasn't," Yume admitted, frowning. "I don't really know much about Mikhail off the ice. We've never talked about personal things like that."

"I'm not surprised. He doesn't like talking about himself much."

"What about his family?"

Tatiana shook her head. "It's not my story to tell. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you himself. Getting back to what I was saying earlier, though," she continued, "I hurt Misha deeply when I betrayed him. I didn't even realize how much until I saw him again. I think it led to him being afraid to trust someone else again. This is just a guess, but he was probably starting to trust you a little and thought you trusted him, so when you doubted him -"

"- I hurt his feelings," Yume completed.

Tatiana shrugged. "Like I said, it's just a guess. I dated Misha for two years and skated with him for even longer, but even then, I never felt like I completely knew him. Maybe, in the end, he didn't trust me as much as I thought he did." She stood back up and patted the sand off the back of her skinny jeans. "Anyway, now that you understand what happened, my job here is done. The rest of it is up to you."

Yume got up as well. "Thank you, Miss Pekrovskaya," she said.

"Yes, well…" Tatiana stuffed her hands in her pockets and glanced away. "I just did what Misha asked me to do. It's not like I told you out of the goodness of my heart, or anything like that. Honestly, I couldn't care less about your stupid fight."

"Still, I appreciate it. I think I understand Mikhail a little better now, thanks to you."

"As if anybody can ever really understand Misha," she scoffed. "Anyway, I need to get going. My flight leaves soon, and I'm running late because of you."

"You're going back to Russia?"

"I know when I've lost. I have no desire to stick around here, making a fool out of myself trying to win back a man who obviously doesn't want me anymore. I have more important things to do with my time." Tatiana started to walk back, but paused a few feet away, her back still turned to Yume. "One more thing, Yomi."

"Um, it's Yume, actually."

"Like I care," Tatiana said. "I just wanted to say… Well, good luck with that Triple Axel Showdown, okay?"

She took off before Yume even had time to react to what she had said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come on, Yume! You can do it!" Pilar yelled from behind the boards as Yume prepared to launch into yet another triple axel attempt.

She built up speed and launched from the left outside edge of her blade, trying to keep in mind everything Mikhail had taught her during their previous lessons. Though she felt good going into it, she had too much of a lean in the air, making it almost impossible to stick the landing correctly. She stumbled out of it, almost crashing right into the boards.

Pilar clapped her hands and cheered. "Good try, Yume! You almost had that one."

Sighing, Yume skated over to Pilar and took the water bottle she offered. "You have got to be kidding me," she said, taking a swig. "That landing was horrible!"

"But at least you managed to complete all three-and-a-half rotations this time. That's something, right?"

"It won't matter during the Showdown if I can do all the rotations if I can't land the axel cleanly." Leaning back against the boards, Yume let out a groan. "Why did I let you talk me into doing this?"

"Hey, you're blaming me? Even after I agreed out of the goodness of my heart to be your coach? I could be sleeping right now, dreaming incredibly naughty dreams of me and Leon Oswald, you know."

Yume resisted the urge to role her eyes. While she did appreciate the offer, especially after hearing from Clarissa and the others that Dominique had landed her first triple axel that morning under Mikhail's tutelage, Pilar wasn't exactly the best person to help improve her jumping technique, seeing as she had never landed the jump herself. In fact, Pilar's idea of "coaching" seemed to be limited to giving out unearned praise and encouragement, without offering any real advice on actually landing the jump.

"Pilar, it's getting kind of late," Yume said, turning back around just in time to see the other girl hide a yawn behind her hand. "You look exhausted. Why don't you just go to bed?"

"But I volunteered to be your coach. I can't just shirk on my responsibilities."

"I'll be fine on my own, really."

Pilar cocked an eyebrow. "Is that your subtle way of saying, 'Hey, Pilar, you suck as a coach and haven't helped me at all, so you might as well give it up and call it a day?'"

"I-I wouldn't say -"

She laughed, not offended at all. "Okay, okay, I get the message," she said. "I'll go, but you should think about heading to bed soon yourself." Frowning, Pilar reached for Yume's hand resting on the boards and gave it a light squeeze. "I know you want to win this thing, _chica_ , but these late nights are going to kill you if you keep it up. You need your rest."

"I won't stay much longer," Yume promised even as she crossed two fingers behind her back. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Pilar stared at her for a moment, as if trying to determine whether or not she should believe her, before finally releasing Yume's hand. "Okay, I'll see you at breakfast then."

After Pilar left, Yume resumed her practice. She managed to land a handful of clean triple axels, but compared to the number of jumps she two-footed, under-rotated, or fell on, it was hard to consider those more than just minor successes. She had to improve her consistency if she had any hope of winning against a strong jumper like Dominique.

"So you're the one who has been coming here late at night to practice these last couple of days," a female voice said after one particularly hard fall. "I should have known."

Yume scurried back up to her feet and brushed the ice off the back of her leggings. "C-Coach Wong!" she exclaimed upon seeing May standing at the boards. "Um, I know it's way after hours and I shouldn't be here, but since you banned me from coming to practices, this is the only time I have to prepare, so I -"

May held up a hand. "I'm not here to scold you, Yume," she said, a rare smile on her lips. "In fact, I'm actually rather impressed by your dedication. Reminds me a lot of your sister."

Yume let out a sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was to get in even more trouble with May than she already was.

"That being said," the coach continued, turning serious, "you can't keep doing this."

"B-But -"

"I will not allow the star of my ice show to run herself ragged to the point of physical exhaustion. That's a good way to get yourself injured, or even worse."

"But I may not be the star at the end of the week," Yume said in a soft voice, staring down at the ice. "Haven't you heard? Whoever wins the Triple Axel Showdown will become Mikhail's partner."

"Yes, I've heard," May said, crossing her arms and smirking. "I even have to admire Dominique a little for her spunk. This bet sounds exactly like something I might have come up with back in the days when I was competing against Sora. It's Mina Murray all over again, really."

"Mina Murray?"

May gave a dismissive wave. "Never mind. The past isn't important right now. What is important is that you win that Showdown. Dominique may be a fine technician, but nobody is going to come watch a show with her and Mikhail as the stars. Mikhail needs you to be his partner. You're the only one who can draw the performer out of him, Yume. I still believe that."

"But you just said I couldn't practice."

"Correction: I said you couldn't practice this late at night. You need your sleep."

"Then I can come back to regular practice?"

"I've already given Mikhail permission to return so that he can coach Dominique; it's unfair not to do the same for you," May said. "However, I have an even better idea." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of folded paper, which she handed to a confused Yume.

Yume unfolded it and read the address scrawled on it. "Cape Mary Skating Center?"

"My old skating coach owns it," she explained. "If I could, I would offer to coach you myself on the axel, but I still have three other pairs and various other skaters to work with in preparation for the show. I just don't have the time to give you the individual attention you need, so I'm sending you to Merle. She's the best of the best. If anybody can help you, then she can. Everything is already taken care of. Just show up at the rink at nine tomorrow morning. She'll be waiting for you."

"I don't know what to say," Yume said, still staring down at the piece of paper in her hand. "Thank you, Coach. I really appreciate this."

"You just do your best to win that Showdown. Now get off the ice and go to bed already. You look like you're about keel over."

She didn't need to be told twice. "Yes, ma'am!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Yume slept right through breakfast, waking up only thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet Merle Palmer for practice. She took a quick shower, grabbed her skates and a couple of pieces of toast, and ran out of the dorm as if the building was on fire.

Fortunately, the Cape Mary Skating Center wasn't located far from Kaleido Stage, so she managed to arrive on time with just a few minutes to spare.

"Yume Naegino, I presume?" an older woman asked when Yume entered the center's private rink. She was already out on the ice. "I've been expecting you.

Yume nodded and sat down to change out of her sneakers and into her skates.

Merle skated over and adjusted her glasses. "I must say, you don't look much like your sister."

Yume glanced up from lacing up her boot. "You know Sora?"

She chuckled. "Everybody here in Cape Mary knows Sora," she said. "But, yes, I'm acquainted with her. In fact, I was the one who taught her how to skate."

"You were her skating coach?" Yume's eyes widened, aware of the story.

In order to win the lead in a previous ice show Kaleido Stage had put on, Sora had learned to skate in only a couple of weeks. Though she had ultimately lost the role to the much more experienced May, Yume had always been impressed - and, honestly, perhaps a little jealous - by her sister's ability to pick skating up so quickly. If Merle had managed to take a complete beginner like Sora and turn her into a figure skater in such a short period of time, then maybe she could work the same magic on Yume's triple axel.

"I enjoyed working with Sora. May, as well," Merle said. "They both had incredible determination and guts, both necessary things to become great skaters. I hope I can expect the same from you." She frowned, watching as Yume stepped onto the ice. "I've seen you skate in several televised competitions over the years, Yume," she continued. "You may not look much like your sister, but you do have Sora's ability to draw people into your performances. It's really quite remarkable, and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of stage Sora Naegino's little sister will show us. However, the jumping…"

Slumping her shoulders, Yume sighed. "I know. It needs work. That's why Coach Wong sent me to you."

"The triple axel, right? And you only have a few days to learn how to land it consistently?"

"Can you teach me?"

"I can teach you, but only you can actually learn it. I do not like wasting my time, so once we begin, I need you to give me one hundred percent. No whining, no complaining, no talking back, and most important, no quitting. Got it? I'm a tough coach, but put in the work, and you have a good chance of succeeding. Can you do that?"

Yume nodded and straightened her posture, feeling hopeful for the first time since she and Dominique made the bet. "Yes, I'll do everything I can to learn the axel."

Merle smiled. "Good, that's what I like to hear. Now let me see what you've got, kiddo."


	16. The Triple Axel Showdown

"Okay, good job. Let's call it a day, Yume," Merle called out.

In the middle of the rink, Yume skated to a stop, hunched over as she attempted to catch her breath. She had been practicing the triple axel for almost two hours straight, without even a bathroom break, but her intense training with Merle over the last few days was finally beginning to pay off. Her accuracy on the jump had nearly tripled in percentage. Not even working with Mikhail had produced such remarkable results.

Still, would it be enough to defeat Dominique in the showdown?

"One more hour," Yume said, holding up her pointer finger as she straightened back up. "Let's work on it for one more hour."

"While I'm impressed by your dedication, you need your rest, Yume," Merle said, frowning at the boards. "The Triple Axel Showdown is tomorrow afternoon. The best thing for you to do is eat, take a relaxing bath, then go straight to bed. There is such a thing as over-training."

"B-But -"

"No 'buts' about it. I'm not about to let you waste all the work we've put into this because you're reckless and want to risk injuring yourself the night before a competition. Now, get off the ice, Yume."

Having no other choice in the matter, Yume left the ice, accepting the towel and water bottle Merle offered her. "Do you really think I've done enough to win the showdown?" she asked the older woman, wiping the sweat off her face.

"Well, you've certainly improved at an amazing rate since the day you first came to me," Merle said. "You rose to the challenge and did everything I asked of you without complaint. No matter the results tomorrow, you should be proud of yourself."

"But will I win?"

Merle shook her head. "That, I cannot say. If you skate the way you did today, I think you have a more-than-decent shot, but you're not at a hundred percent accuracy. That means this other girl has a shot."

Yume sighed. Granted, no skater landed his or her jumps every single time - not even Mikhail, although falls from him were certainly a rare occurrence - but she would have felt better if she had at least managed one perfect series of triple axels during her training.

"Anyway, you should get back to Kaleido Stage, kiddo. It's getting late," Merle said, patting Yume's shoulder. "Have a good dinner, and get some rest. You deserve it."

"I will."

By the time Yume returned to Kaleido Stage about twenty minutes later, the cafeteria was closing for the night, although the cook was nice enough to warm up some leftovers for her to eat. When she finished the meal, she headed up to her dorm room, running into Pilar and Clarissa along the way.

"Hey, Yume," Clarissa said. "We missed you at dinner. Did you just get back from training at the rink?"

"Yeah."

"How did it go? Have you mastered the axel yet?"

"Almost. I still haven't managed to land ten in a row yet, but Coach Palmer thinks I have a decent chance of winning tomorrow. I don't have to be perfect, after all. As long as I land just one more jump than Dominique, I'll win the showdown. I can do that," Yume said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. "How did she do today, by the way?"

She made a point of steering clear of Dominique and Mikhail when they were practicing, but her friends kept her up-to-date on Dominique's progress. Pilar and Clarissa shared a look that Yume didn't like, causing a small knot to build in her stomach as she flashbacked to All-Japan, asking her mother if Miyako Kazama had landed the quad toe in her free skate.

"What? Come on, guys, you can tell me."

"You know, you shouldn't worry so much about Dominique," Clarissa said. "Just because she did well today doesn't mean she'll be able to do it again tomorrow."

"Clarissa's right," Pilar agreed. "It could have just been a lucky fluke. Besides, you still have more experience when it comes to the triple axel."

"Just how lucky was she, Pilar?" Yume asked, dreading to hear the answer but needing to know anyway. "Just spit it out."

"Dominique did it," she reluctantly admitted. "She landed ten axels in a row today at practice."

"Twice."

Pilar poked Clarissa in the ribs. "She didn't need to know that much!"

"Sorry."

"So she's progressed that much, in such a short period of time…" Yume murmured, hugging herself. "Dominique really is a strong jumper."

"Oh, Yume, don't let it get to you," Clarissa said. "This is why we didn't want to tell you in the first place."

"No, I'm glad I know. Really."

"You're lying."

Yume sighed, unable to deny that a part of her wished she hadn't heard of Dominique's success. "I'll be okay," she said. "It's like you guys said. Even if she managed to pull it off in practice, there's no guarantee she'll be able to do it when the pressure is on. I still have a chance."

"That's the spirit!" Pilar said. "It's not over until it's over, as I always like to say."

"Anyway, I should probably try get some sleep. It's a big day tomorrow. See you at breakfast."

Leaving them, Yume entered her dorm room and plopped down on the bed. Fool hovered above her, frowning.

"I take it that practice didn't go well today?"

"No, practice went great," she said. "Or at least I thought it did until I heard that Dominique did even better." Yume rolled over on her side, crushing a pillow to her chest. "Fool, can I ask you something?"

"What is it? Would you like me to read your future?"

She partially sat back up, staring up at the Spirit of the Stage. "Can you? Do you know who will win the showdown?"

"I can tell you that even without reading your tea leaves. Dominique will, if you don't stop doubting yourself like this all the time."

"Well, sorry if I feel a little insecure when I hear my rival is doing better than I am," Yume groused, laying back down and curling into a ball. "Just forget about it."

"No, what is it you wanted to ask me about?"

She hesitated for a moment before finally asking the question she had been contemplating for the past few days. "Am I really 'destined for the stage' like you say? Are you certain you didn't make some sort of mistake in picking me?"

"There is no mistake, and I didn't 'pick' you for anything. I told you the first day we met, only those who can see me have been chosen by the stage. As long as you can still see me, you are one of the destined."

"Wait, still see you?" She rose back up. "Does that mean I can actually lose the ability to see you?"

"It's happened before. Even your sister stopped seeing me for a short period of time," Fool said. "And, I have to say, the same may just happen to you if you don't start believing in yourself a little more."

"You're right." Yume stood up and began gathering up her things. "Why am I sitting around, feeling sorry for myself when I still have -" She glanced over at her alarm clock. "- fifteen hours until the showdown? I still have time to put in a little more practice."

"You're going back out on the ice at this hour? Don't you think it would be better for you to get some rest? You've been practicing almost all day."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to be able to sleep until I know I can do it, anyway. I'm not giving up, not when I'm so close to winning Mikhail back. I can't let things end like this. Thanks, Fool!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_So close…_

Yume picked herself up from the ice. If only she had nailed the last jump, it would have been a perfect series. She glanced down at her watch and frowned. It was close to midnight, and she was getting tired; it was a struggle to even keep her eyes opened. She knew she needed to get some sleep and let her body rest for the showdown, but she refused to stop until she managed to land all ten jumps.

She couldn't let Dominique win.

"Okay, one more time, Yume," she said to herself, grabbing a tissue from the always-present box on the boards - the cold had a tendency to play havoc on a skater's sinuses - and blowing her nose before starting again. "You can do this. You can do this. Just keep focused."

Once again, she threw herself into the series, landing nine clean triple axels. When it came to the last one, she took her time, not wanting to make yet another careless mistake when she was so close to perfection. However, her body refused to cooperate, popping the jump without even getting in a single revolution. Yume swore in frustration, breathing heavily and fighting back the sudden dizzy spell that had come over her.

Maybe it was time to call it a day, after all. Her energy was officially spent. To keep going in such a condition would only make her prone to making more mistakes like the pop. The Triple Axel Showdown wasn't until noon; if she woke up early enough, she could probably squeeze in a couple more hours of practice before it was time for the real thing.

Reluctantly, Yume exited the ice and took off her skates. She then headed back to her dorm room, where she took a quick shower and crawled into bed, immediately falling asleep.

When morning came, Fool was the one to wake her up, his tiny arms doing their best to shake her shoulder.

"Hey, Yume. Yume. Yume. Yume. Yume. Yu-"

"Go away, Fool," she mumbled, turning over and pulling the blanket over her head. "Trying to sleep."

"No time for sleep. It's almost nine o'clock. If you don't hurry, you won't get any breakfast."

"Huh?" Still half-asleep, Yume felt around for the alarm clock on her nightstand and pulled it underneath the blanket. It took a few seconds for her eyes to focus enough to read the red numbers on the display - 8:53.

That woke her up.

"How can it be so late!" she cried, sitting up so fast that she felt woozy. She placed a hand over her warm forehead. "Ugh."

"Are you okay, Yume?" Fool asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." To prove it, Yume set the alarm clock back on the table - she must have forgotten to set it last night due to her exhaustion - and tried to stand up. Tried, because the moment she did so, she felt light-headed again and had to sit back down on the bed.

"No, you're not." Flying right in front of her face, Fool took off one of his white gloves and pressed his bare hand against her skin. "You're burning up! I'm not a doctor, but you're obviously sick."

Yume shook her head, refusing to believe it despite all proof to the contrary. "I can't be sick. Today is the Triple Axel Showdown. I have to win."

"Do you honestly think you can beat Dominique when you can't even stand up without feeling dizzy?" Fool asked. "How do you expect to jump in this condition? The showdown can always be rescheduled to a time when you're feeling better. For now, why don't you get back into bed, take off those pajamas, and let Dr. Fool give you a nice, soothing sponge ba-"

"I can bathe by myself, thank you very much, you perv!" Yume stood back up - slowly - and went to the bathroom to check her medicine cabinet. She thought she had some cold medication, but the only things in the cabinet was her toothpaste, deodorant, and some aspirin. "Great," she muttered. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Marion, the dorm supervisor, would probably have some on hand, but if she found out Yume was sick, she would probably tell May and force a reschedule of the showdown. _I guess I'll just have to go to the drugstore and buy some,_ she thought just as she heard somebody knocking on the door.

Groaning, she headed to the living room and answered it.

"There you are, Yume!" Pilar said, breezing in without an invitation. "We were wondering why you didn't come down for breakfast. Did you oversleep?"

"Yeah." Yume leaned back against the door after closing it, rubbing at her temple. "I guess I forgot to set my alarm or something."

"That's not like you. Since today's the big day, I thought you would be up bright and early, wanting to get in a little last minute practice." Pilar frowned. "Hey, are you feeling okay? Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look too good."

"I'm fine," she insisted just before letting out a huge sneeze. "Allergies, that's all."

"Yeah, right, allergies my foot! Come with me," Pilar said, grabbing her by the wrist and leading Yume to her dorm room next door. "I have just the thing."

There, Yume took a seat at the kitchen table while Pilar started pulling out a variety of different ingredients. "What are you making?" she asked, resting her head on the table when she felt another dizzy spell coming on. "Don't you have some pills?"

Pilar grinned and began chopping up some carrots. "Trust me, my _abuela_ 's homemade chicken soup will have you feeling better in no time. Whenever me or one of my sisters was sick, she would make us some of this, and we'd be as good as new."

"Pilar, I don't need soup; I need drugs."

"What you need is rest," Pilar said. "After you eat _Abuela_ Santos' Miracle Soup, you are going straight back to bed."

Yume sat back up. "But I can't! Today is the showdown."

"I'm sure if you explained things, Mikhail and Dominique would be willing to postpone the challenge until you're feeling better."

"I've skated sicker than this before," Yume said, remembering the time a couple of years ago that she got food poisoning the night before her long program at the Grand Prix final. Somehow she had managed to win a bronze medal, despite feeling nauseous the entire time she was on the ice. "Besides, postponing will only give Dominique more time to improve. If I want to have any chance of beating her, it has to be today."

"Still…"

"It's only ten jumps. I'll be fine."

Pilar pursed her lips, but didn't say anything more about the Triple Axel Showdown, turning her attention back to preparing the soup. "Well, anyway, this will take a while to cook, so why don't you go rest on the couch?" she suggested. "I'll call you when it's done."

That sounded like a good idea, so Yume headed to the living room and laid down on Pilar's leather couch.

On the coffee table in front of the couch was a box of tissues. Yume reached over to take one, accidentally causing a loose sheet of paper to flutter to the floor, facedown. Picking it back up, Yume was surprised to see a picture of Dominique and a man she assumed was Dominique's former partner receiving matching gold metals, accompanied by a full page article. Though they were supposed to be siblings, they didn't look very much alike.

"Hey, Pilar, what's this?" she asked, struggling to make out what the article was talking about. It was written in French, so Yume only recognized a handful of words.

"What?" Pilar called from the kitchen.

"This print-out. It's about Dominique, isn't it?"

Pilar came out, looking rather sheepish as she scratched the side of her nose. "That? Um, I guess you might call it…ammunition?"

"Ammunition?"

"Well, you seemed so worried last night, I decided to do a little research on _Mademoiselle_ Fontenot and found that article online. I had to get Clarissa to translate it for me, but it seems like Dominique was in the middle of a minor scandal about a year ago involving the president of the French skating federation."

Yume sat back up and shook her head, starting to understand exactly what Pilar meant by the word "ammunition".

"Pilar, no. Whatever you're planning, forget it."

"You haven't even heard what I have to say!"

"I don't care. I don't want to win using underhanded tactics."

Sitting down beside Yume, Pilar sighed. "It's not like I'm suggesting you whack her in the knee or something like that. It's just a little harmless blackmail. Besides, don't you want to know the reason why she has such a hatred of nepotism?"

"Well…" Yume would be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little interested in why Dominique seemed to take such offense to her and Zoe's supposed "connections".

"See? You are curious about it. At least listen to the story. After that, what you decide to do with the information is up to you."

"You're not going to spread the rumor on your own?"

"Of course not!" Pilar exclaimed. "What kind of person do you take me for?"

Yume arched an eyebrow. "The kind who Googles her enemies and uses the information against them?"

"Point taken," she said after a brief pause. "However, Dominique is your enemy, not mine. I don't like the girl, true, but this is your battle to fight."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Yume muttered. In a louder voice, she asked, "Okay, so what does the article say?"

Pilar turned in her seat so that she was fully facing Yume and snatched the print-out out of her hands. "Well, it seems like this was printed in a tabloid magazine, so who know if it is even true or not, but you know Dominique's former partner, her older brother?

"What about him?"

"According to the article, they're only half-siblings," Pilar said gleefully, having a little too much fun revealing Dominique's private secrets. "About a year and a half ago, their parents divorced, and during the court proceedings, it came out that their mother - a former skater herself - had had an affair with Luc Durand, the current head of the French skating association, around the time that Dominique was born. Though her mother didn't say straight out that he was Dominique's biological father and Durand refused to confirm the affair even happened at all, that didn't stop some in the skating community from raising suspicions that he used his influence to help Dominique and her brother win their national titles."

"The rumors pretty much ended their career," she continued. "Her brother got tired of fighting all the gossip and decided to quit, leaving her without a partner, and though Dominique considered making the switch to singles skating, she feared the same thing would just happen again if she achieved any success. That's when she made the decision to come to Kaleido Stage and tryout to become Mikhail's new partner."

"How horrible that must have been for her…" Yume murmured.

"What, you actually feel sorry for her? Even though she's pretty much doing the same thing to you and Zoe?"

"Wouldn't you be angry if you learned that all the success you thought you had earned might be a lie? And not only that, you discovered that the man you thought was your father your entire life might not be?"

"I guess that would really suck," Pilar admitted. "Still, I think it's pretty low of her to spread those kinds of rumors when she's been the target of them herself. I can't feel too much sympathy for her." She stood and handed the print-out back to Yume. "Anyway, I should probably get going. Sergei wanted to work on a new lift this morning. The soup should be ready to eat in about thirty minutes, so just keep an eye on it and help yourself. Bowls are in the cabinet, bottom shelf, spoons should be in the top left drawer, and I think there's orange juice in the fridge if you want it. If you really feel the need for some medicine, there's probably some cold medication in the bathroom, but I wouldn't recommend it if you intend to skate today. That stuff usually knocks me out cold. Do you need anything else before I go?"

"No, I'm fine for now, thanks. Just…don't tell anybody else that I'm not feeling well, okay?"

Pilar frowned. "I won't, but I really wish you would reconsider skating in the showdown today. If you would just use that article for leverage…"

"I'm not going to blackmail Dominique."

"You really are too nice for your own good, Yume," she said, smiling as she walked to the door to leave. "But that's probably why I like you so much. See you later, and try to get some rest."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twenty minutes before the start of the Triple Axel Showdown, Yume headed down to the rink. Unfortunately, Pilar's grandmother's chicken soup - though delicious - was not the miracle cure-all it had been touted as. She still felt woozy and feverish, but at least she wasn't throwing up or anything like that. As long as she took it easy in the warm-up, Yume thought she would have enough energy to get through the actual competition.

When she arrived, the Zamboni was out on the ice, smoothing the surface in preparation for the showdown, while Dominique stood at the boards, already in her skates and waiting for the chance to warm-up. Nobody else had arrived yet.

"Hey, Dominique," Yume said, walking over to her rival. "I guess today's the big day, huh? Are you ready?"

Dominique glanced over her shoulder, seemingly startled by Yume's arrival. "Oh, it's you," she said before turning her attention back to the Zamboni. "Of course I'm ready. The question is, are you? I haven't seen you practicing any."

"I've been working with Coach Wong's former coach at the Cape Mary Skating Center. She's really helped me with my technique."

"Oh."

Yume took a seat on the bench behind Dominique, letting out a sneeze. Wordlessly, the French skater handed her the box of tissues sitting on the boards.

"Thanks," Yume said, surprised by her unexpected kindness. She snatched one of the tissues from the box and blew her nose.

Dominique fully turned around, leaning her back against the boards. "Are you really going to be able to skate today when you're so sick?"

"I'm not sick. It's just allergies."

She cocked a disbelieving eyebrow. "Your face is flushed, and you sound absolutely terrible," she pointed out. "If you don't have a cold, then I'm the Queen of France."

Yume began untying her shoelaces, avoiding looking the other girl in the eye. "Even if I do, I can still skate."

"But can you skate _well_?" Dominique crossed her arms and frowned. "I don't want to win this thing on account of you not being able to jump to the best of your ability. That would just be another hollow victory."

"Another?" After slipping off her sneaker, Yume glanced back up. "What do you mean? Are you talking about the national titles you won with your brother?"

She regretted asking the question the moment it left her mouth. Yume never intended to let Dominique know she was aware of the scandal that had led her to leaving France and coming to Kaleido Stage, but it had just slipped out without thought.

Dominique's face went pale, and her arms fell to her sides. "Y-You know?"

"No, I don't know anything, really," Yume lied, waving her hands in front of chest. "I don't even know why I said that. Um, I just thought -"

Dominique grabbed Yume by the wrist, pulling her up so that they were standing eye-to-eye. "How did you find out about it?" she demanded to know in a harsh voice.

"Find out about what? I don't know what you're talking a-"

"Cut the crap, Yume. You knew exactly what you were saying when you asked me that question. Is this your way of psyching me out before the competition?"

"No!"

"Oh, I see. Then you want to use the information for leverage. If I drop out of the showdown and let you have Mikhail back, you won't tell anybody else what you know? Is that how it goes?"

"No," Yume repeated. "I would never do something like that."

"Why not?" Her voice softening, Dominique released her hold on Yume's arm. "I would have. If I had some dirt on you, then I wouldn't hesitate to use it against you if it meant winning Mikhail as my partner."

Yume shook her head. After learning about the scandal, she felt she was finally beginning to understand some of Dominique's feelings. "No, I don't think you would."

Dominique scoffed, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder. "Right. Like you have any idea how I would react if our situations were reversed."

"If all you cared about was being Mikhail's partner, then you wouldn't care if I had a cold or not," Yume pointed out, pausing for a moment to let out another sneeze. "In fact, you should have been happy when you found out I was sick. Chances are, with me skating like this, you'll easily win the showdown, yet you just said you didn't want another hollow victory. What you really want is to be acknowledged, isn't it?"

"Oh, honestly, that's the silliest thing I've ever -"

"Is it so silly? You must have been proud of your national titles, but when the scandal broke out, you started to doubt that you had won them on your own merits. That's why you decided to try out to be Mikhail's partner. If the current Olympic gold medalist chose to skate with you, then you could be confident again that you were a great skater, that you really did deserve those titles without anybody's help."

"But he didn't choose you," Yume continued. "Instead, he chose me, a total newcomer to pairs and the sister of a Kaleido Star. Of course you were upset. You have the best jumping technique here, but the try-outs didn't allow you to show off to the best of your ability. I don't blame you for thinking I was only chosen due to my connections. If it had been a proper try-out, I never would have been picked, but you would have had a more than decent chance."

"Then you admit that Mikhail should have chosen me instead of you in the first place?" she asked.

"No." Yume moved to stand beside Dominique, resting her folded arms on the boards. "'Skating is not just about the jumps.' That's what my former coach told me right before my final competitive free skate. What she said was true, but that doesn't mean jumps are unimportant. In a way, I'm grateful we made this bet. I want to be a strong partner for Mikhail - not only artistically, but technically as well. I've worked hard this past week to master the triple axel, and I intend to do my best to win the showdown. I will prove to you and myself that I truly deserve to be Mikhail's partner."

At that moment, Mikhail himself entered the rink and began walking toward them. Yume blushed and turned her head in the opposite direction, wondering just how much he had overheard of her speech.

"Good, you're already here," he said to Dominique. He barely acknowledged Yume's presence. "It looks like the Zamboni has finished resurfacing the ice, so you should begin your warm-up. Don't push yourself too hard, though. Save most of your energy for when it really counts. For now, just focus on doing singles and doubles to get a feel for things."

"Right," Dominique said, taking off her skate guards and handing them to Mikhail before stepping onto the ice. "I won't let all our training go to waste."

As she skated off, Yume sat back down on the bench and resumed putting on her skates. Even out of earshot of Dominique, Mikhail didn't say anything to her, his attention focused solely on the blonde jumping on the ice in front of him. Yume sighed, but tried not to let it bother her. He was Dominique's coach, after all; he had no reason to offer her advice or words of encouragement.

Just as she was stepping onto the ice to join Dominique in the warm-up, however, Mikhail reached for Yume's elbow, taking her by surprise. She glanced back up at him. "Mikhail?"

"Prove to me that I made the right choice." He wasn't even looking at her, still watching Dominique's practice like a hawk, but his voice was low enough that only Yume could hear. "Show me how strong you can truly be." In a louder voice, he called out, "Dominique, try to get some more height on those jumps. You'll never pull off three-and-a-half revolutions when you're that close to the ice."

He released Yume's arm, letting her go, though she continued staring at him for a few moments longer, puzzled by his words. Didn't he want Dominique to win? Mikhail was her coach, after all. Why else would he agree to train her, unless he wanted Dominique to be his new partner? _His behavior is as confusing as ever,_ Yume thought with a shake of her head as she began her warm-up.

Still, a smile flickered upon her lips. Maybe she could become his true partner after all.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A coin toss performed by May determined the skating order. Dominique won and chose to skate first, so about a minute before start time, Yume stepped off the ice and joined Merle, who had arrived halfway through practice, at the boards. Though she had tried to take it easy during the warm-up, Yume was breathing heavily through her mouth.

"Here." Merle handed her a tissue, frowning. "It's just your luck that you had to come down with a cold today of all days."

Yume didn't even try to deny it that time. "I'll be okay. Depending on how well Dominique does, I might not even have to attempt all ten jumps."

Behind her glasses, Merle's eyes narrowed as she watched Dominique skate around the rink. "I wouldn't put my hopes on that girl doing badly, Yume. She's a natural-born jumper, and she's determined to prove herself."

"We both are," Yume said in a soft voice, glancing behind her at the small crowd of spectators who had gathered in the stands to watch.

Among them were her friends, who had taken it upon themselves to make a colorful banner proclaiming "Good luck, Yume!" They all sat in the back row, brandishing the banner high above their heads. Yume smiled and waved to them, reminded of her days in competitive skating when her fans would do the same. Sora, unfortunately, had been unable to make it due to a doctor's appointment, but she had called earlier that morning to wish Yume luck.

"Are you sure you want to watch?" Merle asked, snapping Yume back to attention. "It might be easier for you to wait outside until it's your turn."

"No, I want to see how she does," Yume said. She remembered how nerve-wracking it was to wait backstage while Miyako Kazama skated her free skate at All-Japan. Sometimes, it was better to know who you were up against. "I'm staying."

Merle shrugged. "Suit yourself."

By that time, Dominique had finished her warm-up and was receiving some last minute advice from Mikhail. May signaled the spectators to quiet down and began a short speech.

"Welcome to today's Triple Axel Showdown between Yume Naegino and Dominique Fontenot. The rules of the showdown are simple. The first skater will attempt ten triple axels. She may take as long as she likes between each jump, but she may not attempt any other type of jump. To count as a successful triple axel, the skater must rotate three-and-a-half times in the air and land on one foot. I will be the one to determine if the jump was completed in a satisfactory manner. The challenger will then try to beat the first skater's record. If she does so, she will be declared the winner. Skaters, any questions about the rules?" Yume and Dominique both shook their heads. "Well, then, good luck to both of you. Dominique, you may begin whenever you are ready."

Dominique skated to the center of the ice and began her series of axels. She landed the first one beautifully, followed by three more which were possibly even bigger and more impressive. The landing on the fifth was a bit shaky, but May, who was standing at the boards keeping score, counted it as successful, adding another mark to the whiteboard she was using to keep track of the jumps. Dominique had no problems with the next two, but only managed a double on the eighth, her first major mistake.

The mistake must have rattled her, for she spent the next minute and a half simply skating around the rink, composing herself. However, when she finally resumed jumping, her technique on the final two axels was impeccable. Dominique pumped her fist after landing the last jump, obviously satisfied with how she well had performed even with the one double.

Nine out of ten. Only perfection would beat her.

Perfection which Yume had yet to obtain.

After Dominique exited the ice, it was Yume's turn to take center stage. She should have been nervous after watching her rival do so well, yet she felt strangely excited instead. As much as she loved performing for an audience, a small part of her actually missed the competition she thought she had left behind when she turned professional.

"Don't rush things," Merle advised her at the boards. "Take your time and let the jumps come to you. You aren't skating a set program; if your body doesn't feel ready to jump, stay on the ice. One pop, and it's over. Also, don't think about things too hard. Your body knows how to do this jump, Yume, so don't try to fight against it. Shut off your brain and just do it, okay? I know you can."

"Right." Yume blew her nose one last time, took a sip from the water bottle Merle offered her, then skated to the middle of the rink to the encouraging cheers of Pilar and the others. "I can do this," she said to herself, relaxing her shoulders. "I will prove to Mikhail that I am strong enough to be his partner."

She glanced back over to the boards. Mikhail, along with Dominique, was standing beside Merle, his attention finally focused solely on her. Yume's cheeks burned under the intensity of his gaze, but she chalked it up to her fever flaring up. Remembering Merle's advice, she cleared the both of them out of her mind and began to skate.

The first four jumps came easily to her, but shortly after landing the fifth, Yume began to feel dizzy and lightheaded. She came to a stop at the boards and closed her eyes, trying to regain her bearings. _This is tougher than I thought it was going to be,_ she thought, breathing heavily through her mouth. She refused to quit, however. She was halfway there. All she needed to do was land five more jumps, and victory would be hers.

After a few moments, the dizzy spell passed. Yume resumed her skating, but her speed lessened as she became more cautious with her jumps. The next two jumps were successful, but just barely. Over at the boards, Merle waved her over.

"Yume, where is your speed?" she demanded in a low voice so that Mikhail and Dominique wouldn't overhear. "You can't skate that slowly if you expect to land a triple axel."

"I know. I just -" She closed her eyes again, her hands gripping the boards. _Not another one..._

Merle frowned. "I knew I shouldn't have let you skate in this condition. Get off the ice."

"No, I can do it. It's only three more jumps."

"All it takes is one bad fall to seriously injure yourself. I'm all for taking risks, and you've been lucky so far, but in your condition, it's just too dangerous."

"I can do it," Yume repeated with more conviction, looking back up and staring Merle straight in the eye. "I have to, Coach. Please, let me keep going."

The coach sighed, then smiled. "Well, you've certainly got guts, I'll give you that," she said. "Fine, if you insist on seeing this through to the end, I won't try to stop you, but pick up the speed. I know you're probably feeling fatigued, but you tend to make mistakes when you get too cautious. If you're going to do it, don't hold anything back. As counterintuitive as it may seem, it's probably safer for you not to worry so much about technique. Just…skate from your heart."

Yume nodded her understanding and skated off, picking up speed as she did so. Rather than put her brain on autopilot as she did for her few jumps, however, she thought back to her secret practices with Mikhail and how much she enjoyed them, no matter how tough he was on her. How he'd hide his amused smiles whenever she made mistakes, and how pleased she would be whenever he gave one of his rare compliments.

It wasn't until she heard a round of applause coming from the stands that Yume realized she had completed the last three triple axels without even knowing it. She spun around to face the whiteboard and brought her hand to her mouth when she saw the final score.

Nine to ten, in her favor.

"I…did it?" she gasped in disbelief. Thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her, she blinked and stared at the numbers once again. There was no mistake. "I did it!"

Dominique, obviously upset with the results, stalked off without even congratulating Yume on her victory.

When Yume skated back over to the gate, Mikhail was waiting there for her with one of those rare smiles on his normally expressionless face. "Congratulations, Yume," he said, handing over her skate guards. "That was very impressive."

"T-Thank you," she said, again feeling her cheeks grow hot in addition to the pounding of her heart in her chest. Experiencing a little bit of wooziness after all that jumping, Yume tripped as she stepped off the ice.

Mikhail caught her before she hit the ground. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled almost incoherently. She rested up against him, her face buried in his shirt. "Just a little tired."

Holding her up with one arm, he pressed the back of his free hand against her forehead. "You're burning up! You skated today, even though you weren't feeling well?"

"I wanted to be strong. Did I do it, Mikhail? Did I finally prove to you that I am good enough to be your partner?"

"Yes," he said, wrapping his arms around her in a surprisingly gentle embrace. "Yes, Yume, I want you to be my partner. I always did."


	17. Thawing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: Kaleido Star doesn't belong to me.
> 
> AUTHOR'S NOTES: At the end, everybody is basically saying, "Cheers/To your health!" in their mother tongues. The order, starting with Pilar's "Salud!" is: Spanish, English, Russian, French, Ukrainian, Polish, French, Russian, and Japanese.

Following her victory at the Triple Axel Showdown, Yume spent the next few days in her dorm room, recovering from her cold. As it turned out, Mikhail and Dominique managed to catch colds as well, although Pilar insisted Dominique was only faking hers.

"I'm telling you, if that girl is really sick, then I'll eat my hat," Pilar said, bringing Yume a bowl of her grandmother's chicken soup. "She's just embarrassed that you defeated her in the showdown."

"She shouldn't be," Yume said from her spot on the bed. "Dominique did really well. It's a miracle that I was able to beat her, especially with this stupid cold." She let out a sneeze. "Ugh, I'm sure Coach Wong is furious with me for getting them sick as well. We've already wasted so much training time thanks to the fight and the showdown..."

"Well, the important thing is that you and Mikhail are partners again...and maybe even more?"

Yume sighed. "For the hundredth time, there's nothing romantic going on between us."

"It sure didn't look that way to me at the showdown."

"I told you, I felt a little dizzy coming off the ice and tripped, so Mikhail caught me. End of story." Still, her cheeks warmed a little as Yume remembered what had happened after she won.

"But that story is so boring!" Pilar said, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. "Besides, the way he was holding you... I've never seen the Ice Prince act like that before. So sweet and gentle..." She swooned. "It was like something out of a romantic movie!"

"Pilar, give it a rest already." After setting the uneaten bowl of soup on her nightstand, Yume rolled over on her side and pulled the blanket over herself. "We're just pairs partners."

"You keep telling yourself that, _chica_ ," Pilar said with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, you don't want your soup? You barely touched it."

She shook her head. "Not right now. I'm not very hungry. Maybe later. You should probably go, too. It would be bad if you caught my cold as well."

Pilar stood up and glanced down at her wristwatch. "Yeah, it is about time for me to head back to practice. I'll put the soup in the fridge. You can warm it up whenever you do feel hungry, okay? And don't forget to take your medicine."

"Thanks," Yume said. "Really, I appreciate you and the others taking care of me."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right? Get well soon, Yume. I'll see you later."

Once Pilar left, Yume snuggled under the covers, but didn't fall asleep. Instead, she thought back to what Pilar had said. Was there something more to the hug Mikhail had given her after the showdown? It was rather out-of-character for him, Yume had to admit, and it had felt nice in his arms.

Really, really nice...

"Stupid Pilar," she muttered, blaming the older girl for putting the idea in her head.

She was just reading too much into it. There was no way Mikhail was interested in her like that. He liked glamorous blondes like Tatiana. She couldn't even hold a candle to his beautiful ex.

Besides, Yume was just glad that he had accepted her as a real partner at last. After thinking it over for a while, she thought she finally understood the reason why Mikhail had decided to train Dominique. It was his way of building up her confidence, to push Yume to up her technical game. It was one thing to practice a jump every once in a while, but the showdown had forced her to master it, and now that she had defeated Dominique - the best female jumper at Kaleido Stage - she felt stronger and more confident than ever before.

She only wished it hadn't been at Dominique's expense.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Wednesday, Yume felt well enough to return to practice. After buying her breakfast at the cafeteria, she glanced over at the table where the male skaters usually ate only to discover that Mikhail wasn't there. She frowned, wondering if he was still sick, but before she could walk over and ask one of the other guys where he was, Clarissa stood up and waved her over.

"Yume!"

Smiling, Yume headed to the table where her friends were sitting and took the seat between the redhead and Elizaveta. Out of the group, Pilar was the only one missing. "Hey, guys," she said.

"It's good to see you up and about, Yume," Clarissa said, sitting back down. "How are you feeling?"

"Almost as good as new. I can't wait to get back on the ice again." She again glanced over at the boys' table. "Any word on Mikhail's condition? I thought he might be feeling better by now."

"I haven't heard anything. Dominique's not around either. I guess they're still both under the weather."

Yume let out a disappointed sigh. Now that she was much more consistent with her triple axels, she was hoping she and Mikhail could start working on them as side-by-side jumps right away. It seemed, however, that would have to wait.

"Clarissa Marie Bachman, I can't believe you didn't tell us!" a familiar voice said, interrupting Yume's thoughts.

The final member of their group had finally joined them, setting down her tray and taking a seat at the head of the table.

"What are you talking about, Pilar?" Clarissa asked.

Pilar rolled her dark eyes. "Your birthday, silly. It's this weekend!"

"How did you find that out? And how do you know my middle name, for that matter?"

"I have my ways, but never mind that," Pilar said, waving her hand dismissively. "More importantly, why didn't you tell us?"

Clarissa shrugged her shoulders, stirring her oatmeal. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? It isn't every day you turn twenty-one. It's a milestone!"

"Is the twenty-first birthday special in America?" Yume asked, failing to see what the big deal was either. In Japan, twenty-one was just another birthday. It was the twentieth birthday everybody looked forward to, when a person became of legal adult age in the eyes of the law.

"It's only the most important birthday ever!" Pilar exclaimed. "Turning twenty-one means Clarissa is finally able to legally drink."

"Oh. In Japan, the legal drinking age is only twenty."

"It is? Man, y'all are lucky!" Turning her attention back to the birthday girl, Pilar continued, "Anyway, we have to celebrate. Let's all go clubbing!"

"Pilar, you do realize only you and I would be legal?" Clarissa pointed out. "Yume, Liza, Zoe and Becca are still underage."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I know some places that'll let them in," she said, blowing off Clarissa's concerns as if they were nothing. "So, what do you all think? Are you in?"

Becca sighed. "I'd like to go, but I know my dad wouldn't approve."

"Are you sure? Even if you promise not to drink?"

"He's a cop, so he's pretty strict about these kinds of things, and since I still live at home instead of here at the dorms..." She shook her head. "Sorry, I just don't think I can make it. But you shouldn't let me stop you. You should all go out and have fun. It's Clarissa's 21st birthday, after all. She should enjoy it."

"I'll ask my folks, but I wouldn't count on them saying 'yes,' either," Zoe piped in. "Sorry."

"Well, what about you, Yume?" Pilar asked. "You don't have any parents around to stop you."

"Uh, I don't know..."

"Come on, it'll be fun! Besides, remember the day of our audition? I promised you that if you made it, I would take you to a club, and I never go back on my promises."

Yume thought Pilar had forgotten all about that promise, but evidently she hadn't.

"Well, I guess if Clarissa really wants to go..." Yume began, not wanting to seem like a party-pooper, especially since Zoe and Becca wouldn't be able to go.

"Great!" Without waiting to hear Clarissa's opinion on the matter, Pilar turned to Elizaveta. "Liza, are you in?"

The Polish girl bit down on her bottom lip. Yume could tell Elizaveta was about as enthused about the idea as she was, but it was difficult to say "no" to someone like Pilar Santos.

"I suppose if Yume is going, I'll go, too," Elizaveta finally said.

Pilar pumped her fist in the air in victory. "Super!" she said, jumping back up with her tray of untouched breakfast. "I'll go tell the guys."

"What?" Clarissa's head jerked up. "You want to invite the guys, too? I thought this was going to be a girls' night out."

"The more, the merrier, I always say. Besides, don't you want to spend your birthday with a special certain someone?" She winked. "Catch you guys later!"

With that, Pilar left and headed toward the table near the back of the cafeteria where their male partners were eating. As soon as she was gone, Clarissa sighed and lightly banged her forehead on the table.

"What have I unleashed?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later during their lunch break, instead of meeting with Clarissa and the others in the cafeteria as she usually did, Yume decided to visit the sick Dominique and Mikhail. Armed with plastic containers filled with Pilar's leftover soup, she first dropped by Dominique's dorm room, not very surprised when the French skater refused to answer the door.

"Dominique, it's Yume," she said, knocking again in case Dominique hadn't heard her the first time. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me, but I just wanted to check and see if you were okay. I heard you caught my cold. Dominique?" Still no answer. Sighing, Yume set one of the containers down in front of the door. "I brought you some chicken soup. I'll leave it out here for you if you get hungry and decide you want some. All you have to do is warm it up. It's really delicious. I hope you get well soon."

She started to leave, but turned back around when she remembered the skaters' plans for that weekend. Pilar probably wouldn't like it, but considering that all the other skaters had been invited, it didn't seem fair to Yume to leave Dominique out.

"By the way, a bunch of us skaters are getting together on Saturday night to go clubbing. It's Clarissa's twenty-first birthday, so we're going out to celebrate. If you're feeling better by then, you should come with us. It might be fun," Yume said, wondering if she really would come. "Well, anyway, I'll let you get some rest. See you around."

She then headed to the men's dormitory to see Mikhail. After what happened with Dominique, she didn't expect him to answer either, so she was surprised when she heard him call out, "Coming!" A few moments later, the door opened.

Mikhail had seen better days. Dressed in a pair of plaid pajama pants and an undershirt, his hair was messy and unwashed. Dark circles lined the bottom of his eyes, and his nose was as red as Rudolph's.

"You look awful!" Yume blurted out, slapping a hand over her mouth when she realized how rude that sounded.

"Gee, thanks," he said, sniffling.

"Um, I didn't mean it like that. I just -" She held up the soup container as a peace offering. "Soup?"

"What kind is it?"

"Chicken. It's supposed to be good for colds."

After a short pause, Mikhail opened the door wider, inviting her inside. Entering the room, Yume saw that it was in even worse shape than Mikhail. Used tissues and empty delivery cartons littered the floor, while a pile of dirty dishes was stacked in the kitchenette sink.

"Sorry about the mess," he said, reading her mind. "I haven't felt like cle-" He let out a huge sneeze.

Yume, forgetting about the messy room, walked over and pressed her hand against his forehead. His skin felt like it was on fire, which seemed rather ironic for a man known as the Ice Prince. "You should go back to bed," Yume said. "I'll warm this up and bring it to you when it's done."

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to," she insisted, shooing him away. "Now, go."

"... Thanks," he said before heading back to his bedroom.

Yume set the plastic container down on the kitchen table, then rolled up the sleeves of her shirt. Before reheating the soup, she decided that a little cleaning was in order, starting with the unwashed dishes. It was the least she could do after passing her cold onto him. When she finished putting the living room and kitchenette back in some semblance of order, she prepared Mikhail a bowl of soup and knocked on the door to his bedroom.

"Mikhail?"

As he had left the door slightly ajar, Yume took a peek inside, finding him asleep. She didn't want to wake him when he seemed to be resting peacefully, so she decided to leave the soup by his bedside. She placed the bowl on the nightstand, in front of a framed photograph - the only displayed picture in the entire dorm room.

Curious, Yume picked the frame up. It was a picture of a rarely-seen beaming Mikhail, standing in the middle of two other women. One was middle-aged and probably had been quite the beauty when she was younger, although her looks had faded somewhat with age. The other was a pretty teenager with the lithe, slender body of a dancer. Yume thought the girl resembled Mikhail a little, although her hair - pulled back into a bun - was brown instead of blonde.

"His family?" Yume murmured.

Mikhail's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her voice. Startled, Yume quickly put the frame back down on the table.

"Yume?" He rubbed at his right eye. "You're still here?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I warmed that soup up for you."

She picked the bowl back up as Mikhail moved to a sitting position and handed it too him. After taking a taste, he said, "It's good. You're a great cook."

"Oh, no, not me!" Yume waved her hands in front of her. "I didn't make it; Pilar did. It's her grandmother's special recipe. I had some left over from the last batch she made, so I just reheated it."

"Oh. Then thank her for me."

"I will," she promised, glancing over at his digital alarm clock. It was later than she thought it was. She hoped to have enough time left to grab a quick bite to eat at the cafeteria with her friends, but it looked like she would have to skip lunch. "Um, the lunch break is almost over," Yume said. "I should probably get back to practice. I've been working on my triple axel some more, so maybe when you feel better, we can start training them side-by-side?"

"That sounds good."

"Good. Well, I'll be going now. I hope you recover soon."

Yume started to leave, but Mikhail suddenly reached for her wrist, stopping her.

"Yume."

She turned back around. "What is it? Do you need something else? A drink? Medicine?"

He shook his head and released his hold on her arm. His gaze focused on the bowl of soup sitting in his lap. "I just...wanted to apologize for the way I treated you before," Mikhail said. "You know, about that matter with Tania. I should have told you right from the start what really happened that night."

"No, I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said there was nothing going on between you two. I should have trusted you."

"Why? I haven't given you any reason to trust me." His free hand gripped at the blanket. "I'm afraid I haven't been a very good partner..."

Yume didn't exactly disagree with him, but she was still surprised to hear him admit it so readily. Was he delirious from his fever? "It's okay," she said. "I haven't been the best partner either, so let's start over."

He finally looked back up at her. "Start over?"

"Yeah!" Smiling, Yume extended out her hand. "Hello, I'm your new partner, Yume Naegino. And you are?"

Mikhail hesitated for a moment, seeming confused, but then took his hand in his, a soft smile on his lips. "Mikhail Pavlovitch Vladimirov, but you can call me Misha if you want. All my friends do," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Yume."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you, too," Her cheeks started to grow hot as Mikhail continued to hold her hand for much longer than necessary. "Um, I need to go," she reminded him. "Practice."

"Oh, right." He finally let go. "I didn't mean to keep you. Sorry."

"It's fine. Get well soon... Misha."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next Saturday, Yume sighed as she looked inside her armoire, trying to decide what she should wear to the club with little success. She was normally a jeans-and-T-shirt type of girl, so she didn't own many clothes that would be suitable for clubbing.

"Why did I even agree to go, anyway?" she wondered aloud, pushing aside another rejected outfit. However, remembering that it was Clarissa's birthday, Yume went through her options one more time, hoping to find at least something decent to wear.

"Hmm, what's that?"

Something sparkly had caught her eye. At first, Yume thought it was one of her old skating costumes that she had packed by mistake, but it was actually a metallic gold halter top and a pair of black pants. Gasping, she reached for the hanger and pulled it out. "Wow, I completely forgot about this!"

She had bought it in Paris about a year or so ago after winning her first international competition, Trophée Eric Bompard. To celebrate, Coach Hasegawa had suggested she buy something completely outrageous and expensive with some of her award money as a way to commemorate the event, so Yume had bought the outfit, along with a pair of gold Christian Louboutin high-heel sandals that cost more than she had ever spent on any kind of footwear - and that was including her custom-made skates, which were hardly cheap. She never got the chance to wear it, though. Yume had been saving it to wear at the Olympics, but since that was never going to happen...

 _I might as well wear it once_ , she thought, scanning the room to make sure that Fool had not escaped from the box she had trapped him in while she took her bath before taking off her robe. _No point in letting it sit in the closet, gathering dust, especially considering how much it cost._

Yume got dressed, then headed down to the lobby of the girls' dormitory where they were all supposed to be meeting. The only one there so far, however, was Mikhail, whose normally expressionless ice blue eyes widened slightly when she arrived.

It was the first time she had seen him since she visited him on his sickbed on Wednesday. His cold had kept him away from practices for the rest of the week, but it seemed as if he was finally feeling better. Yume was glad to see him, since she had forgotten to invite him. One of the male skaters must have informed him of the outing.

"Yume." He stood up from the couch. "Hello. You look...nice."

"Um, thanks." Yume started to say that he looked pretty good himself, especially considering his disheveled appearance the last time she saw him, but settled for blushing. "So, we are the first ones here."

"Yes, we are. Whose birthday are we supposed to be celebrating tonight, anyway?"

"Clarissa's. You know, Jason's partner?"

"Oh, the redhead," he said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his pants. For some reason, Yume thought Mikhail seemed nervous. "I didn't bring a gift," he confessed. "This was so last minute."

"Don't worry. None of us knew it was her birthday until a few days ago, so I doubt anybody will bring a present. This celebration is kind of a gift from everybody, I guess."

"Oh. That's good."

"I'm surprised you decided to come," Yume admitted. "You don't know Clarissa very well, and I never pictured you as much of a club-hopper."

Mikhail shrugged. "According to Sergei, all the skaters were invited. I thought it would be rude not to show."

"Oh."

The next one to arrive was Dominique, whose presence shocked Yume even more. The haughty French skater stood off to the side, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She barely acknowledged Yume and Mikhail, only giving a curt nod when Yume waved to her.

Yume excused herself and walked over to where Dominique was standing. "It's good to see that you're feeling better," she said. "I'm glad you decided to come. After everything that happened, I wasn't -"

"Don't get the wrong idea," Dominique interrupted. "I didn't come because you invited me. The only reason I'm here is because Sebastien asked me to be his date for the evening."

"Oh. Well, I'm still happy that you came, no matter the reason," Yume insisted. Spotting Pilar, Sergei, and the birthday girl enter the lobby, she started to go over to greet them when Dominique stopped her.

"Wait, Yume."

Yume turned back around. "Yes?"

"Well, I just wanted to say thanks for the soup you left me," Dominique said, almost mumbling the words. "It was quite delicious."

"You're welcome," Yume replied.

She then went over to join the newly arrived group. Pilar, for one, was not happy at all to see Dominique. "Why is _she_ here?" she asked. "Did somebody else invite her, 'cause I certainly didn't."

Yume meekly raised her hand. "Uh, that would be me," she admitted.

"You? Why would you do a silly thing like that?"

"Because all the other skaters were invited. I thought it only fair to ask her. Besides, Sebastien asked her come, too. It seems they're dating now."

"I highly doubt that," Sergei said with a chuckle. "Sebastien plays for my team, not hers."

"He could be bi," Clarissa pointed out.

"He's not. Believe me, I know."

"In any case, she's already here, so what's the harm in letting her come with us?" Yume asked. "It might be a good chance to get to know her better. You don't mind, do you, Clarissa?"

The redhead shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really care if she comes or not, but Zoe might."

"Zoe's not coming," Elizaveta announced, joining them with Dmitri and Mikhail, who had decided to come over at last. "I just stopped by her room to check. Her parents wouldn't give her permission."

"Oh, that's too bad," Clarissa said, although she didn't sound too disappointed. She had warmed up to Zoe ever since she assured Clarissa that she had no interest in her partner, but Yume knew she had to be looking forward to spending the next few hours with Jason without him drooling over the pretty contortionist. Looking down at her watch, Clarissa frowned. "I wonder where Jason is. It's already six fifty-five, and our taxis are supposed to pick us up at seven."

They waited a few more minutes for the last members of the group to arrive. Jason finally showed up a couple of minutes after seven, along with Sebastien. "Sorry, we're late," he apologized, giving Clarissa a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, 'Rissa."

The birthday girl blushed very prettily. "Thanks."

"Taxis are here!" Pilar said. As the primary planner of the evening, she took charge as they headed outside where the taxis were waiting. "Okay, there are ten people and three taxis, so I've split us in one group of four and two groups of three. Clarissa, Yume, Liza, and I will take the first car, Sergei, Dmitri, and Mikhail can have the second, and Jason, Sebastien, and Dominique will follow in the last. Any objections? Questions?"

"Yeah, isn't Zoe coming?" Jason asked. "Shouldn't we wait for her?"

"She and Becca couldn't get permission from their parents, so it's just us.

"Oh." The disappointment was evident on his face.

"Okay, if that's all, then let's roll!"

Breaking into the assigned groups, they all piled into their respective taxis. Since the backseat only held three people comfortably, Elizaveta offered to ride shotgun in the front with the cabbie, while the other three took the back, Clarissa in the middle.

"Did you guys see the look on Jason's face when he heard Zoe wasn't coming?" Clarissa asked, sighing as the taxi pulled away from the dormitory. "I might as well give up. He's never going to notice me the way I want to be noticed."

"You can't give up that easily, _chica_ ," Pilar insisted. "Tonight's going to be your night; I just know it. I feel it in my bones. It's your birthday, after all, and I must say that you are looking _muy caliente_ in that dress. If he can't see that, then the boy's an idiot."

"You do look very cute tonight, Clarissa," Yume chorused.

Clarissa wore a plum-colored dress that played up her fair skin and titian hair, which she had piled on the top of her head, a few loose ringlets framing her face. "Really?" she asked, nervously playing with one of the silver bangle bracelets she wore on her wrist. "You guys really think Jason will finally notice me tonight?"

"Just be yourself, and everything will be fine," Pilar assured her before turning her attention to Yume. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

A positively devilish smile played on Pilar's crimson lips. "I saw you and Mikhail talking in the lobby right before we arrived. You two looked rather friendly."

Yume looked down at her hands, hoping none of the girls could notice that her cheeks were burning in the darkness. "So?" she said. "Misha's my partner, and he was the only one there when I arrived."

"Misha?" She arched an eyebrow. "When did you start calling him that?"

"Um, a few days ago, I guess. He told me I could."

"Really?"

"It's no big deal," Yume said, wishing she hadn't used his private nickname in front of Pilar. It was just like her to blow things out of proportion.

"Well, whatever you say, I still think there's something going on between you twoâ€¦"

"You're imagining things, Pilar."

"Whatever." With a roll of her eyes, Pilar turned to look outside her window. "Oh, there it is! Cabbie, pull over here."

Following Pilar's order, the taxi pulled up in front of a small brick building, the word "Paradise" flashing in neon blue above the entrance. A long line of clubbers had already formed, winding around the building, but instead of leading them to the back of the line, Pilar walked right up to the large bouncer standing at the door as if she was an A-list movie star.

"You Miguel Reyes?"

"Who's asking?" the bouncer asked, peering at her from over the rims of his dark sunglasses.

"Pilar Santos," she replied. "I'm Mercedes' sister, and these are my friends."

"So, you're Mercy's little sis?" Miguel gave Pilar a somewhat lecherous once-over and nodded. "Yeah, I can see the family resemblance."

"Mercy tells me you owe her a favor. Think you can let us in?"

"Anybody under eighteen?"

"No."

Miguel looked Pilar straight in the eye, as if trying determine if she was lying or not, then lifted up the red velvet rope blocking the entrance. "Welcome to Paradise," he said, letting them through.

" _Gracias_ , Miguel. I'll put in a good word with Mercy," she promised, flashing him a flirtatious smile as their group headed inside.

"Pilar, that was amazing!" Clarissa exclaimed, although Pilar waved off the compliment.

"Oh, that? That was nothing."

"Who was he?" Elizaveta wanted to know.

"A guy with a hopeless crush on my sister. Speaking of whom..." Pilar started waving to a pretty Hispanic woman working behind the bar. "Mercy!"

The woman waved back, beckoning them over.

The boys and Dominique decided to snag some empty tables, so Yume, Pilar, Elizaveta, and Clarissa headed to the bar.

"Pilar, you made it!" the woman said as Pilar and Clarissa took the last two empty stools. "Miguel didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

"Not at all. He has it for you bad, you know."

Mercedes sighed. "I know. I feel kind of bad taking advantage of him like that, but he did owe me for taking care of that evil cat of his last weekend. My arms are covered in scratches," she complained, showing some of them off. "So, these are your friends? Who's the birthday girl?"

Pilar tilted her head toward Clarissa, who was sitting right beside her. "Clarissa Bachman, officially legal as of 10:54 this morning."

"Really, Pilar, how do you find out about this stuff?" Clarissa asked.

"I have my ways," she said cryptically before introducing everybody else. "And these two are Yume Naegino and Elizaveta No-Last-Name. We call her Liza, though. Girls, this is my sister, Mercedes."

"Nice to meet you," Elizaveta said.

"Yes, nice to meet you, Mercedes," Yume echoed.

"Feel free to call me Mercy. Everybody else does," Mercy said with a grin before turning her attention back to Clarissa. "So, birthday girl, what will you have? First drink is on the house."

"Oh... I guess I've always wanted to try a martini."

"I'll make it an appletini. It's _the_ drink of the moment; you'll love it. Pilar, the usual cosmopolitan for you?"

"You know me. I'll never say no to a free cosmo," Pilar quipped.

Her sister cocked an eyebrow. "Who said your first drink was free? I don't believe it is your birthday, little sis."

Pilar childishly stuck out her tongue and pulled out a credit card, which she slapped down on the counter. "Fine, put it on my tab. In fact, put all of our drinks on my tab. Tonight is my treat."

"Wow, you must be good friends. Pilar's usually not so generous," Mercy teased, earning her another look at Pilar's tongue, which she ignored. "What about you two?" she asked instead, referring to Yume and Elizaveta. "What's your poison?"

"I'll just have a club soda."

"I'll have the same as Yume."

"And we'll have a round of tequila shots for the rest of our group," Pilar ordered, waving toward the rest of their party. The others had managed to commandeer one of the corner booths, along with an extra table, which they had pushed together so that everybody had a seat.

"Coming right up!"

After getting their drinks, the girls headed over to join the rest of the group. "Tequila shots for everybody!" Pilar announced, setting the tray down in the center.

"Ah, there's a girl after my own heart," Sergei said, patting his chest. "Too bad she has all the wrong equipment."

Pilar rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Scoot over, lover boy."

Sergei did as he was told, sliding over so that Pilar could take the last seat in the booth. Elizaveta took the empty chair next to Dmitri, while Clarissa shyly sat down next Jason. That left Yume with the last available chair, directly across from Mikhail, who was sitting in the booth between Sergei and Dominique.

"So, how's the appletini?" Pilar asked Clarissa once they had all gotten situated.

"Mmm, delicious," she said, taking another sip of her drink. Even though she had just ordered it a few minutes ago, her glass was almost half-way empty. "Appletini, where have you been all my life?"

"Hey, slow down there, _chica_. You don't want to get bombed so early in the night, do you?" Taking the appletini out of her hand, Pilar replaced it with one of the tequila shots. "Here, try this. In fact, everybody take one. Don't be shy, now. You, too, Yume and Liza."

"But we're not legal," Yume protested when Pilar slid one of the tiny shot glasses in front of her.

"One shot isn't going to kill you. Besides, I want to propose a toast."

"A toast with tequila?" the very French Dominique asked disdainfully. "Isn't it traditional to toast with champagne?"

"To-may-to, to-mah-to. Everybody got a shot?"

Everybody held up their glasses, even a reluctant Yume.

"Then I would like to propose a toast to the birthday girl herself, Clarissa Bachman," Pilar said, standing up and raising her shot glass. "Clarissa, congratulations on surviving twenty-one years of this thing we call life. You're the best, _chica! Salud!_ "

Everybody clicked their shot glasses together.

"Cheers!"

_"Budem zdorovy!"_

_"À votre santé!"_

_"Budmo!"_

_"Na zdrowie!"_

_"À votre santé."_

_"Budem zdorovy!"_

_"Kampai!"_


	18. Hot and Cold

An hour later, Yume sat alone at their table, nursing the glass of Long Island Iced Tea she had ordered - one of the few non-alcoholic drinks she found on the menu. She had no idea what was in it, but it was definitely unlike any tea she had ever tasted, which was saying something, since she considered herself a bit of a tea connoisseur. She wasn't sure if she cared for it or not.

The others were all out on the dance floor, everybody dancing with their respective partners, minus Mikhail, who Yume had lost track of among the many clubbers. The last she saw him, he had been sitting at the bar, ordering a drink, but his stool had since been taken over by a dark-haired man who was trying unsuccessfully to hit on Pilar's sister, Mercedes.

Not that Yume was keeping tabs on him.

But why hadn't he asked her to dance yet? She sighed and took another sip of her drink. It wasn't that she really wanted to dance - when it came to dancing on anything other than ice, she had a pair of two left feet - but it would have been nice if Mikhail had at least offered. Weren't they friends now? _Maybe he's a terrible dancer, too,_ Yume thought. She hadn't seen him dancing with anybody else, after all. Mostly just drinking.

"Hey, why aren't you dancing?" a French-accented voice asked, startling Yume from her thoughts.

She glanced to her right, surprised when Dominique took a seat in the chair next to her.

"Nobody has asked me," Yume said with a shrug of her shoulders. Noticing that Dominique's partner - and date for the night - wasn't with her, she asked, "Where's Sebastien?"

"Getting us some drinks." Dominique nodded in the direction of the bar, where Sebastien was chatting with a handsome bartender, and smirked. "I have a feeling I may have just lost my date, though."

"Oh, sorry." It looked like Sergei was right about Sebastien's preferences, after all.

She flipped her blonde ponytail over her shoulder dismissively. "Don't be. It wasn't like that. Besides, there are plenty of other good-looking guys here to choose from," she said, scanning the crowd for her next dance partner. "I have to admit, I'm having more fun than I thought I would. It's been a while since I've done anything like this, so… thanks, I guess."

Yume arched an eyebrow. "Why are you thanking me? I thought you only came because Sebastien asked you to be his date," she reminded her.

"Actually, it's more like I forced him to be my date." Sitting back in her chair, Dominique crossed her arms over her chest. "Look, Yume, I'm not really into the whole 'friendship' thing. It's not my style, so don't expect me to become one of your little group. After everything that's happened, I doubt I would be welcomed anyway."

"That's not tr-" But then Yume thought of Pilar, who had never hid her dislike of Dominique, and of Becca, Zoe's overprotective best friend, and knew it was true. Even if the others were willing to forgive and forget, those two would probably never accept her as a friend.

"There's just too much bad blood," Dominique said. "It doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry," Yume found herself saying, but the Dominique shook her head.

"You're not the one who needs to apologize. That's supposed to be my line." She sat forward in her chair, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I'm only going to say this once, but I'm sorry for the way I treated you and that contortionist. The truth is, you were right. The reason why I wanted to be Mikhail's partner so badly was so that I could prove to myself that the titles I had won with my brother weren't a lie. The fact that a novice like you was chosen over me… Well, it just didn't seem fair. I really did believe you used your sister's connections to somehow rig the competition in your favor."

"But I didn't."

"I know that now. You beat me fair and square, and now I realize I just wasn't good enough." When Yume started to object, she held up a hand. "Don't try to placate me, Yume. We both know it's true. You do possess something that I don't. I saw it the first time I saw you skate at the auditions; I was just too stubborn to acknowledge it due to your lack of technical skills." Again, Dominique sat back, clutching her hands into tight fists. "I intend to keep working on my weaknesses, though, and someday, I _will_ get the true acknowledgment I desire," she vowed. "Just wait and see."

"I hope you do," Yume said sincerely.

By that time, Pilar and Sergei returned to the table, sliding back into the booth. Pilar shot Dominique a dirty look, which the French skater reciprocated before pushing back her chair and standing up. "If Sebastien ever manages to pull himself away from that bartender and comes back with our drinks, tell him I've found a hotter dance partner," Dominique said mostly to Yume and Sergei before heading back out onto the dance floor.

The second she disappeared into the throng of dancers, Pilar turned her attention to Yume. "What were you two being so buddy-buddy about?" she asked, sounding almost betrayed.

"Dominique was just apologizing for the way she acted toward me and Zoe," Yume said.

"Yeah, right, and pigs can fly." Pilar scoffed and took a sip of her cosmopolitan. "No, seriously, what did she want with you?"

"I told you. She apologized for spreading all those rumors."

"Come on. You're not pulling our legs?"

Yume wasn't quite familiar with that phrase, but she could guess the meaning from the context. "It's the truth."

"Well, I guess miracles really _do_ happen," Pilar said. "Enough about her, though. You should go dance! We've been here for over an hour, and I have yet to see you hit the dance floor."

"Somebody has to stay and watch the table," Yume said, indicating the purses and drinks the others had left behind.

"We're here now," Sergei pointed out. "We can look after things for a while, so you should get out there."

"No, really, I'm fine just sitting here…"

Pilar rolled her eyes. "Nobody comes to a club just to sit around, Yume! You have to dance a least a little."

"But I'm not a very good dancer," she protested. "Besides, I don't have a dance partner."

"Then go find one. That guy sitting over at the bar is pretty cute," Pilar said, referring to the dark-haired man Yume had seen flirting with Mercedes earlier. He was now looking over in their direction, and Pilar gave him a seductive smile over her shoulder. "In fact, if you don't take him, I might just make a move myself."

Yume shook her head, having no interest in dancing with some random stranger. "Take him if you want; he's yours."

"Then how about we take a spin?" Sergei suggested, standing up and holding out his hand to her.

"Oh, yeah, that's a great idea!" Pilar exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Let Sergei teach you a few steps. He used to do a little ice dancing, so he's got the moves. He even managed to teach me a thing or two."

"Well…" Yume was fast running out of excuses to decline.

"Go on, he won't bite, now will you, Sergei?"

"I will be on my very best behavior," he promised, placing his hand over his heart. "So, may I have this dance?"

Reluctantly, knowing that Pilar would not take "no" for an answer, Yume took Sergei's hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor with the others. "I'm really not that great of a dancer," Yume warned Sergei as the music changed to a salsa number.

"Don't worry," he said. "This isn't a competition. Just listen to the music, follow my lead, and most importantly, have fun."

Yume felt incredibly self-conscious when they first began dancing, but, as Pilar had promised, Sergei was a great teacher. They stuck to basic steps that even she could do without messing up too badly, and, to her surprise, Yume actually began to enjoy herself.

"See? You aren't so bad," he said, dipping her. "You just needed a little bit of instruction, that's all."

Yume smiled, looking up at him. "I guess so."

Just then, somebody tapped Sergei on the shoulder, asking him a question in a language that Yume did not recognize, although she suspected Russian. Sergei nodded, and pulling her back up from the dip, he kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you for the dance, Yume," he said before giving her hand to a blond-haired man she knew very well and leaving to go find another partner.

"Misha?" she breathed, her heartbeat racing for reasons Yume couldn't quite understand.

Mikhail didn't say a word as he pulled her toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing his hands on her hips. The music had changed again, this time to a slower number that oozed sensuality. Yume wasn't very familiar with the different kinds of dance rhythms, other than what she had picked up from watching the occasional ice dance pair over the years, but she suspected it might be a rumba, known as the sexiest of the traditional Latin ballroom dances.

Of course, Yume had no idea how to dance a rumba. Unable to look Mikhail in the eye, she glanced around at the other couples surrounding them for inspiration and blushed at some of the sensual moves being performed by the more accomplished dancers. Pilar and her dark-haired partner, who had joined the throng of dancers, were an especially seductive pair, looking as if they were ready to rip each others' clothes off right in the middle of the dance floor, no matter who happened to be watching. Yume knew she would never be comfortable doing those kinds of moves in public, so she loosened her grip around Mikhail's neck, intending to head back to the table.

Mikhail, however, pulled her even closer to him, refusing to let her leave. "Dance with me, Yume," he whispered in her ear. His words were slightly slurred, and Yume could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"I-I don't know this dance," she confessed, though it seemed like her body thought otherwise, her hips moving as if they had a mind of their own.

"It doesn't matter. Dance with me."

Yume had no idea what had gotten into Mikhail. He wasn't acting like himself. It must have been the alcohol talking; that was the only explanation for his uncharacteristic behavior. Nevertheless, Yume made no movement to pull away, feeling a strange sort of connection between them, one that was different from what she felt when they skated together on the ice.

On the ice, Mikhail was always the consummate technician. Every move he made, from his magnificent jumps to even the placement of his fingertips, was precise and meticulous. Cold, but perfect, as to be expected by the man known to the skating world as the Ice Prince.

On the dance floor, however, he threw all technique out the window. Mikhail had some natural talent as dancer - Yume could tell by the way he moved his body - yet he was loose, uninhibited in his movements. For once, it actually seemed like he was enjoying himself, instead of merely concentrating on being perfect.

To Yume, it was an unexpected, but welcome, change. She found herself following his lead, ignoring the fact that they weren't exactly dancing a proper rumba. She let her body take full control, giving herself over to whatever it was happening between them.

When the song was over, Yume felt as if she had just finished running a five mile marathon. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, and she had to consciously remind herself to breath normally as Mikhail continued holding her against his body even as the next song, another fast-paced dance track, began playing. Though Yume had to admit it felt rather nice in his arms, she didn't want people, especially Pilar, to get the wrong idea.

"Uh, Mis-"

"Hey, do you want to get out of here?" Mikhail unexpectedly asked, interrupting her. He finally loosened his embrace around her, taking one of her hands instead.

"What?" At first, Yume thought she had misheard him over the volume of the music, which was almost deafening.

"You aren't having that great a time, are you? I noticed how bored you were earlier, sitting at the table by yourself."

"This isn't my kind of place," she admitted. "I only came because Pilar really wanted to go clubbing."

"Then let's go somewhere else. Get some fresh air."

The idea was tempting, as she really hadn't been enjoying herself much, but… "We can't leave. It's Clarissa's birthday," Yume reminded him.

"Just tell her you had a little too much to drink and aren't feeling well, so I'm taking you back to the dorms."

"But I've barely drunk anything at all, except for the tequila shot when Pilar made Clarissa's birthday toast."

He raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you just drinking a Long Island Iced Tea?"

"Yeah, but that's just tea…right?"

Mikhail let out one of his rare laughs. "You really don't go to many bars, do you? Long Island Iced Tea is an alcoholic beverage made up of mostly vodka, gin, tequila, and rum. I'm surprised you didn't realize."

"It did taste strange," she said, "but since the bartender didn't ask for my ID, I thought it was okay."

"He probably didn't ask because he thought you were hot. Anyway, come on, let's go," Mikhail said, starting to pull Yume toward the entrance.

"Wait, we have to tell somebody where we're going." Yume looked around for one of the other girls. The birthday girl was nowhere in sight and Pilar was busy making out with her dance partner in a dark corner of the room, but Elizaveta and Dmitri were back at their table, taking a break from the dancing. "Look, there's Liza and Dmitri. We'll tell them we're leaving, and then we can go."

Mikhail shrugged and began leading her back to the table.

"Hey, Dmitri, Yume and I are going to take off," he said when they had reached them. "She's not feeling well, so I'm taking her back to the dorms. Will you tell the others?"

"What?" Elizaveta looked up at Yume, concerned. "Yume, are you okay?"

Though she hated the idea of lying to her friends, Yume stuck to Mikhail's suggestion of a cover story. "It's nothing serious," she assured Elizaveta. "I think I just had a little too much to drink, that's all. I'll be fine."

"I didn't realize you were drinking."

"Apparently, neither did I." Yume looked over at her half-empty glass of Long Island Iced Tea that was still sitting on the table where she had left it and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, tell Clarissa that we're sorry for leaving early and that we hope she has a happy birthday."

"Sure," Elizaveta agreed, though still looking a bit confused. "See you tomorrow."

With that finally out of the way, Mikhail casually wrapped an arm around Yume's waist and led her once again toward the entrance. Yume felt her cheeks warm at what she considered a rather intimate gesture. _What is going on with him tonight?_ she wondered. It was almost as if Mikhail was a completely different person. Or, she thought, maybe this was actually the real Mikhail, the one she always suspected he kept hidden underneath the cold exterior he usually showed her.

"Where are we going?" she asked as Mikhail flagged them down a cab in front of the club.

He brought a finger to his lips. "It's a secret," he said, holding the back door of the taxi open for her. "Hop in."

Intrigued, Yume slid into the cab, and Mikhail got in on the other side, behind the driver, whispering something in the cabbie's ear that she couldn't quite hear. The cabbie nodded his understanding, and then they were off.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later, Yume looked out the window of the taxi, surprised to see the bright, nighttime lights of Kaleido Stage's main tent. She knew Mikhail had told Elizaveta and Dmitri that he was taking her back to the dorms, but she didn't think he had actually meant it. Had he suggested they leave so they could practice? But Yume didn't think Mikhail was in any condition to be on the ice. He wasn't one of those overly clumsy, uncoordinated drunks that she often saw on TV and in movies, but he was intoxicated, and booze and skating did not seem like the best combination. Even Yume, who had only had the tequila shot and half a glass of Long Island Iced tea, felt too buzzed to be confident about her skating abilities in such a state.

"Kaleido Stage?" she asked, turning to look at Mikhail, who was sitting beside her, a relaxed smile on his face. Though she rarely had the chance to see it, Yume had to admit he had a great smile. He really should show it more often.

"Disappointed?"

Yume shook her head. "No, just surprised. I thought you had somewhere else in mind. You were being so mysterious about where we were going…"

"Just wait a few minutes," he said as the cabbie pulled up in front of Kaleido Stage. Mikhail pulled out some cash from his wallet and paid him, then got out of the taxi, going over to the other side to open Yume's door. "We haven't reached the final destination."

Now Yume was really curious, and even more so when instead of heading inside like she expected, Mikhail began leading her by the hand somewhere else entirely. "Misha, where are we going?" she asked again.

"We're almost there. Close your eyes."

"I don't thi-"

"Don't worry. I'll warn you of any obstacles in the way."

Not wanting to ruin the good mood he was in, Yume humored him and closed her eyes. Mikhail then led her for about a quarter of a mile before placing her hand on what felt like a rusty stair rail. "We're going down a set of steps," he warned her as promised. "I'm right here beside you, but be careful."

Yume nodded and carefully took the first step down. She was beginning to suspect where Mikhail was taking her. There was the unmistakable smell and taste of saltwater in the air, and she could hear waves crashing against the shore.

Sure enough, as she took the last step, her Christian Louboutin high-heeled sandals sunk into soft and lumpy ground, something grainy sifting between her exposed toes. Sand.

"Can I open my eyes now?" she asked. "I know we're on the beach."

Mikhail chuckled. "Yes, go ahead and open them."

"Oh, wow!"

Yume had never visited the beach at night before. It was quite a breath-taking sight. What must have been at least a thousand stars glittered against the dark sky, and the moon's silvery glow illuminated the water just enough so that she could see ebb of waves moving in the Pacific Ocean.

"Do you like it?"

Yume looked over at him, her eyes wide in amazement. "Like it? It's beautiful!"

"I come out here almost every night after dinner," he confessed, plopping down in the sand just a few feet away from where the waves hit the shore. "I'm afraid we already missed the most beautiful part, though."

"What do you mean?" Yume asked, sitting down beside him and drawing her knees up to her chest. At the moment, she couldn't imagine anything more stunning than the sight in front of them.

"Twilight, the time just after the sunset." He glanced over at her. "Have you ever heard of 'white nights', Yume?"

Yume shook her head. "What are they?"

"In St. Petersburg, where I'm from, that's what we call the phenomenon that occurs right around this time of year, when twilight lasts all night long," Mikhail explained, a wistful look on his face as he leaned back on his elbows and looked up at the sky. "We even have a huge festival that lasts for weeks just to celebrate it. Tania and I -" He abruptly stopped in mid-sentence and sighed. "Well, it was something I used to look forward to," he amended.

Not knowing what to say, Yume said nothing in response, getting the feeling he'd rather not talk about it anymore. How unusual, though, for him to tell her something so personal. Come to think of it, she barely knew anything about him at all off the ice. This was the first time they had really interacted on a truly personal level.

"Do you miss it?" Yume asked after a few minutes had passed without either one of them saying anything. "Russia, I mean?"

Mikhail sat back up. "Sometimes," he said hesitantly, as if unsure he wanted to continue their conversation. "The weather is nicer here, but I do miss my family."

"Your family?"

Again, a pause before answering. "My father left the family when I was six, so it's just been me, my mother, and Ekaterina…Katia."

Yume recalled the pretty teenager in the photograph beside his bed. "Your sister?"

"She's three years younger than me. Beautiful dancer. Katia has always dreamed of joining the Bolshoi Ballet, and she just got accepted at their school."

"Wow." Yume knew very little about ballet, but the way Elizaveta talked about the Bolshoi - always in the same reverential tone Yume used when talking about Sora - she knew they were one of the best, if not the best, ballet companies in the world. "That's amazing."

"Yeah." Mikhail regained a little of his smile. "It is." Turning to look over at Yume, he asked, "What about your family? Should Kalos expect a third Naegino sister to turn up and take Kaleido Stage by storm?"

Yume blushed, glad that it was dark enough that Mikhail couldn't see the redness of her cheeks. "No, Sora and I are it for the Naegino family, although Sora's daughter Hana is already talking about wanting to be a trampoline artist like Marion," she said with a chuckle. "Actually, technically speaking, Sora and I aren't even sisters - at least, not by blood."

"You're not?"

She shook her head. "Sora is adopted. Our dads were cousins, and when her parents were killed in a car accident when she was little, my parents took her in and raised her as if she was their own, since they thought they would never have a biological child," Yume explained. "I was their miracle baby, I suppose you could say. That's why there's such a huge age difference between Sora and me. We're as close as any sisters could be, though. Sora's my idol and inspiration."

"Yet you're a figure skater, not a trapeze artist."

It wasn't really a question, but Yume answered it as if it was. "There was a time I thought I wanted to be a trapeze artist like Sora," she said, laying back on the sand, hands resting behind her head. "I actually started practicing gymnastics first, but there was just something about the ice… It was like there was this magnetic pull or something, an indescribable force I can't really name."

Mikhail laid down on the sand as well, rolling on his side with his head propped up so that he was looking down at her. "Destiny?" he guessed.

Yume shrugged. "Yeah, something like that, I guess." She looked up at him. "What about you? Why did you choose to skate? Did you feel like it was your destiny, too?"

A bit of the usual Mikhail appeared on his face, causing him to lose some of his mellowness. "I don't believe in destiny," he said simply, without elaboration.

"Oh."

It was obvious that Mikhail didn't want to continue talking about the topic any longer. Yume sighed, regretting she had brought the subject up in the first place, and turned her attention to the stars above them. It was hard to believe that anybody could look up at the beautiful night sky and not know that something grand like destiny existed. Then again, she had never put much stock in such things either until Fool came in her life, with his claim that she was "destined for the stage".

"Hey, Yume?"

Mikhail's unexpectedly tender voice startled Yume from her thoughts.

"Hmm?" she murmured, surprised to discover that Mikhail had moved closer to her, his hand resting flat on her stomach and his face so close to hers, she could smell the vodka on his breath.

"Have I told you how absolutely beautiful you look tonight?" he asked, his hand moving up from her abdomen to caress her cheek.

Yume sucked in a breath. "Misha?"

Before she had the chance to process what was happening, Mikhail's lips were on hers, insistent, yet gentle. It took little prodding on his part for Yume to respond in kind. His hand once again moved down to her stomach, touching bare skin as he pushed up Yume's halter top, and her fingers threaded through his hair, the blond strands as soft as silk.

Yume's mind went blank, her eyes closed. She moved completely on instinct. It was as if somebody else had taken control of her body,

"Misha…" she involuntarily moaned when his lips left hers to travel down her jaw line, begging them to return.

The sound of his name, however, seemed to break whatever spell had come over him. Mikhail abruptly stopped what he was doing, jumping up so fast that Yume barely opened her eyes in time to see.

"Misha?"

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, not even offering to help her up from where she lay on the sand. Confused by what had just happened between them, Yume stood up and reached for Mikhail's arm. He shrugged it away.

"Let's go," he said in his more familiar gruff tone, already heading back toward the stairs.

"Go where?" Yume asked. She remained standing in place, hugging herself. Without Mikhail's body heat beside her, she became acutely aware of the slight chill in the sea breeze, even in the summer.

He stopped, but did not turn around. "It's late, and I promised your friend that I would escort you back to your dorm room."

Yume glanced down at her watch, which said it was only a little after ten, and frowned. "It's not that late. Weekend curfew is midnight. Pilar and the others probably aren't even back yet."

"It's late enough," he said, and again started walking toward the sea wall stairs.

"Misha!" Yume jogged to catch up to him, grabbing him by the arm. "I don't understand. I thought we were having a nice time. Did I do something to ups-"

"Look, Yume, I'm not feeling well, okay? I had too much to drink tonight, and it's finally catching up to me. I just want to get back to my room and go to bed. You can stay here if you want, but I'm leaving."

Without Mikhail, there was little point in staying on the beach by herself. Yume reluctantly followed him back up the sea wall and back to the dorms, neither of them saying a word, although she was dying to ask him why he had kissed her and what it had meant. Did he like her in that way? Or was it simply the vodka that had influenced him to do it? She didn't dare to ask him, though, too embarrassed by her inexperience in such matters to put the questions into words.

When they finally reached her dorm room, Yume dug in her purse for her keys and unlocked the door. Mikhail was still quiet, not even looking at her. Yume briefly considered inviting him in for a glass of water as a thank you for walking her back home, but she decided against it, afraid it would make things even more awkward between them than they already were.

"So, um, thanks for walking me back, and, uh, showing me the beach," Yume said, feeling the need to at least say something. "I had a, well -" She wanted to say "a good time," but it didn't seem like quite the appropriate thing to say when she didn't even know how Mikhail really felt about her. If the kiss meant nothing to him, as Yume suspected based on how he acted afterwards, she didn't want to give him the impression that she expected something more, especially since she herself didn't even know what to think about it. "Well, anyway, good night, and I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the show announcement."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

With those two words, Mikhail pivoted around and headed back to the boys' dormitories. Yume sighed and closed the door behind her after entering her dorm.

"Hey, you're back early," Fool remarked as Yume took off her shoes and began dusting off the sand that had gotten on them. "Sand? I thought you guys were going to a dance club, not the beach."

"Slight detour on the way back," she said, leaving the explanation at that.

Of course, Fool wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Wasn't that a male voice I heard outside? Why didn't you come home with the other girls?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, Fool, okay?" Yume muttered, walking to her bedroom. "I just want to go to sleep and pretend tonight never happened."


	19. Premonition

Normally on Sundays, Yume was one of the first skaters up. They didn't have official practice, but she enjoyed having practically the entire beach to herself for a morning jog as everybody else took advantage of the day off by sleeping in.

However, even though Kalos was supposed to be holding a meeting to officially announce the new ice show at ten, Yume had yet to climb out of her bed, dreading to face the inevitable awkwardness of seeing Mikhail after what had happened the previous night.

Her face flushed as she remembered the kiss, her very first. Mikhail's breath had stunk of alcohol, but other than that, it wasn't a wholly unpleasant experience, Yume had to admit. In fact, she had rather liked it.

 _Yume, get a hold of yourself_ , she silently lectured, using her arm to cover her eyes from the bright sunlight filing into her room from the window. _Mikhail was drunk out of his mind last night. It's not like the kiss meant anything to him or anything. He probably doesn't even remember -_

Her thoughts were interrupted by somebody pounding on the door.

"Hey, sleepy-head, time to get up," Pilar said, barging into Yume's bedroom without permission and yanking her blanket away. "What are you still doing in bed? I thought _I_ was the resident sleep addict around here. The new show is finally going to be announced today; aren't you anxious to hear what it is?"

Yume slowly sat up, rubbing the last remnants of sleep out of her eyes. "Pilar, how did you get in here?"

"You forgot to lock your door, silly. You really ought to be more careful about that. Who knows who might decide to barge in here while you're sleeping?"

Yume raised an eyebrow. "Like a certain fellow skater I happen to know?"

"Ha, ha," Pilar deadpanned. "Seriously, though, the meeting begins in twenty minutes, so you better start getting dressed. Liza's already down in the conference room, saving us some seats, so I'm going to see how Clarissa's fairing the night after. After all those appletinis she knocked back, she probably has the world's worst hangover."

"Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm up."

After Pilar left to tend to Clarissa, Yume finally dragged herself to the bathroom to take a quick shower before getting dressed. Fifteen minutes later, she ran into Pilar and Clarissa outside Clarissa's room. The redhead flinched when Yume called out to them, obviously still hung-over.

"Ugh, I have such a headache!" Clarissa moaned, leaning against Pilar as Yume came over to join them on their way down to the conference room. "Pilar, why did you let me drink so much last night? I made an absolute fool out of myself in front of Jason."

"Throwing up on his shoes certainly didn't help matters."

Clarissa groaned again, louder than before, and buried her face into Pilar's shoulder. "Don't even remind me about that! I'm trying to erase it from my memory."

"Hey, it wasn't all that bad. I saw you two kissing right before that."

"Jason kissed you?" Yume asked, again remembering her own kiss with Mikhail.

"More like I kissed him," Clarissa said. "It seemed like a good idea at the time, but then…"

"Then she threw up on him."

"Pilar, stop reminding me!" She rubbed at her temple. "I'm never going to drink again," she swore. "Never, ever."

"Oh, you'll change your mind about that," Pilar said before turning her attention to Yume. "By the way, where did you disappear to? When I got back to the table, Dmitri said you and Mikhail had left together."

"He just took me back to the dorms because I wasn't feeling well, that's all," Yume quickly said, sticking to the same story she had given Elizaveta. Though a part of her wanted to talk to her friends about the kiss and get their opinions about what happened, something held her back. "I just had a bit too much to drink. Nothing happened."

"Oh?" Pilar arched an eyebrow. "Nothing happened, huh? That's a rather suspicious thing to say, considering I never said anything did."

"Well, what about you and that dark-haired man you were dancing with when I left?" Yume shot back, anxious to get out of the spotlight.

Clarissa finally looked back up. "Yeah, what about him? You two certainly looked hot and heavy."

"Oh, him? Great dancer, decent kisser, but he got a little too 'hands-y', so I kicked him in his _cojones_. Besides, Mercy was the one he really had the hots for, and I'm nobody's second choice," she said. She then glanced down at her watch. "Anyway, we better get down to the conference. It wouldn't do to have the star of the show be late for the announcement of her own debut, right?" Pilar winked at Yume.

Honestly, Yume wished she could skip the conference altogether, but that wasn't an option, so she and Pilar helped Clarissa downstairs to the room where the announcement was set to take place. Nearly everybody involved with Kaleido Stage, from the stagehands to the headliners, had already arrived, anxious to hear what the next production would be, but luckily Elizaveta had scouted them some seats in the middle of the room near Zoe and Becca. Even more fortunately, Mikhail had taken a seat up front near the podium with May. Yume assumed she was expected to join them as Mikhail's co-star in the new show, but she decided to sit with her friends instead, not ready to face him just yet.

"It's about time the new show was announced," Pilar said once they had taken their seats. " _The Little Mermaid_ is due to finish its run next weekend, and we only have a short time left until the new production is supposed to open. How do they expect us to be ready by then?"

"I wonder if the trainees will be given roles in the show as well," Becca mused. "It would be amazing to be able to perform with Rosetta! I wouldn't even mind playing a small part." She turned to Zoe, who was sitting beside her. "Have you heard anything about what kind of show we're doing, Zoe?"

The blonde shrugged. "My parents don't talk business around me much. My mom's big on spending 'quality' time together," Zoe said, air-quoting the word "quality."

"What about you, Yume? Has Sora told you anything about the show? Mia Guillem is her best friend, after all."

Yume had certainly tried her best to get her older sister to spill the beans over the past few weeks, but Sora adamantly refused to give her even the slightest hint. "The only thing Sora's told me is that it is an original story."

Elizaveta sighed. "I suppose that means it's not _Dracula_ , then." She had had her heart set on performing in _Dracula_ ever since she watched Pilar's old DVD recording of the ice show starring Leon Oswald and their coach, May Wong.

"I wonder what kind of story it'll be," Clarissa wondered.

They wouldn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, Kalos, Sarah, Mia, and head producer Yuri Killian filed into the room. Sarah took a seat in the front row near May and Mikhail while the other three made their way to the podium. The excited buzz that had filled the room only minutes before dulled into a soft whisper.

"As I am sure you are all already aware, this meeting was called to announce the title of our new summer production, opening July 29th," Kalos said once he had everybody's undivided attention. "Sora Naegino Robbins is unable to perform due to her pregnancy, so it has been decided that we will be putting on an ice show, showcasing our new figure skaters. The leads will be current Olympic pairs' gold medalist, Mikhail Vladimirov, and Four Continents ladies' champion, Yume Naegino."

The announcement was accompanied by a round of applause. Mikhail stood up, turned around, and gave a short bow, while Clarissa nudged an embarrassed Yume to do the same.

"Why don't you two come up here?" Yuri suggested, motioning for them to join him on the dais.

Without even a glance back toward Yume, Mikhail went to stand on Yuri's left. Yume, having no choice in the matter, followed suit, taking the spot on Yuri's right. Neither of them made eye contact, the two of them staring straight ahead at the audience. Fortunately, they were not asked to speak.

"Mia, you're up," Yuri said.

"R-Right." Mia adjusted her glasses before taking center stage. "For those new members who might not know me, I am Mia Guillem, the head director of Kaleido Stage," she said. "I know you all must be anxious to know the title of our new production, so, without further ado, I give you…" After a dramatic pause, she pointed the remote in her hand at something in the back of the room, bringing up a power-point presentation. "… _Fire and Ice_!"

Soft murmurs broke out as Mia continued through her presentation.

" _Fire and Ice_ is a brand-new, original Kaleido Stage production. It is about two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Fire and the Kingdom of Ice. Seraphina, the princess of the Kingdom of Fire, is in love with Frost, the prince of the Kingdom of Ice, but Frost has vowed never to love again after the death of his lover, Aurora, the Sun Princess. He has frozen his heart, and it is up to Seraphina to melt it again before he is forced into a loveless marriage with Princess Selena of the Moon, daughter of the evil Queen Luna, who wants to put the world underneath an everlasting night."

"This show promises to be one of our most ambitious to date, and everybody, from our trainees to our seasoned pros, is guaranteed at least a small part," Yuri said, taking over from Mia. "Auditions will be held for some of the more secondary roles, but the leading cast is set as follows: Yume Naegino as Princess Seraphina of the Kingdom of Fire, Mikhail Vladimirov as Prince Frost of the Kingdom of Ice, Rosetta Passel as Queen Luna of the Moon Kingdom, Rebecca Thomas as Princess Selena of the Moon Kingdom, Zoe Alexander as Princess Aurora of the Sun Kingdom, Marion Benigni as Charcoal, Seraphina's faithful feline companion, Pilar Santos, Sergei Ivanov, Clarissa Bachman, and Jason Kerry as Princess Seraphina's court, and Elizaveta Krzyzewska, Dmitri Petrenko, Dominique Fontenot, and Sebastien Dion as Prince Frost's court. Schedules for auditions will be posted outside Kalos' and my offices, as well as at the rink and the cafeteria."

"Everyone, work hard," Kalos said in closing. "I expect this to be our best show yet."

With that, Kalos left, followed by Yuri and Mia. Yume's friends then got up and crowded around her and Mikhail, joined by their respective partners.

"Wow, I guess the announcement was worth the long wait," Pilar remarked. "This show sounds like it is going to be _muy caliente_."

Beside her, Sergei wrapped an arm around his partner's waist and grinned. "We're going to burn up the ice."

"You better believe it, baby," she agreed. "Liza, you and Dmitri better watch out. The Kingdom of Fire is going to bring it!"

Dmitri smiled. "Perhaps so, but don't forget that without ice, we wouldn't have anything to skate on," he pointed out, poking a distracted Mikhail with his elbow. "Right, Mikhail?"

"What? Oh, right," he said after a short pause. "In fact, I think I'm going to head to the rink for some private practice. Even if we have the day off, it's never too early to start practicing. I'll see you later."

Without even asking if Yume wanted to join him, Mikhail left, and Yume sighed, wondering how they were supposed to continue to be partners when they could barely stand in the same room together without feeling awkward around each other. She knew they really needed to talk about what had happened last night, and even started to follow Mikhail to the rink, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Instead, Yume turned her attention to Becca, who was, by far, the most excited about the show.

"I can't believe I'm playing Princess Selena!" the rising trapeze star squealed. "Since she's Queen Luna's daughter, I'll actually be performing with Rosetta Passel! How amazing is that? It's like a dream come true!" Looking over at Zoe, Becca frowned, losing some of her enthusiasm. "Hey, what's wrong, Zoe? You don't look very excited about being cast as Princess Aurora."

In fact, since Becca pointed it out, Yume thought Zoe looked rather upset - not the usual reaction for a performer who had just landed a major role in a new production. Hands clenched at her side, Zoe's eyes were practically blazing.

"If I find out my parents had anything at all to do with me getting this part…"

Just then, Zoe's mother Sarah walked over to the group, throwing an arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Hello, all!" Sarah said cheerfully, though she frowned when she saw the angry look on Zoe's face. "Now, Zoe, is that the face of the Sun Princess? Smile!"

"Mom, Dad didn't ask Mia and Yuri to cast me as one of the leads just because I'm his daughter, did he?" she demanded to know.

Sarah looked taken aback by the question. "What a silly thing to ask! Of course he didn't. Your father's not like that."

"Are you sure?" Some of Zoe's anger seemed to fade. "You're not just saying that?

"When you decided to join Kaleido Stage, you told us to treat you like any other cast member, remember? That's why you've been calling yourself Zoe Alexander instead of Zoe Eido."

"Yeah, but -"

"Mia specifically wanted you for the role," Sarah interrupted before she could protest. "Your father didn't suggest anything. If you don't believe me, then ask Mia yourself. She'll tell you the truth." She gave her daughter's hand a motherly squeeze. "Now, smile and be happy! You deserve it!" she said before going over to talk to Marion and Rosetta.

"Congratulations, Zoe!" Becca exclaimed, giving her best friend a hug. "That's great! See, I told you - you do have talent."

Zoe smiled for the first time since the announcement. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"I say this calls for a celebration," Pilar suggested. "We have the day off, anyway, so let's all do something."

"No alcohol." Clarissa was still rubbing at her temples, fighting her hangover.

Pilar pouted. "Oh, you're no fun, Clarissa!" Turning to Yume, she said, "Hey, you've been pretty quiet today. Aren't you excited? You're playing the lead role!"

"Of course I am," Yume insisted, although, to be truthful, thanks to what happened with Mikhail, it hadn't really sunk in yet. "I think I'm just a little under the weather, that's all."

"You're sick, Yume?" Elizaveta stepped forward and placed a hand on Yume's forehead. "Is it the same thing as last night? You don't feel hot…"

"I'll be okay, but I'm really not in the mood for any celebrations. You all go on without me. Don't let me ruin your plans."

"You sure?" Pilar asked.

Yume forced a weak smile, not wanting her friends to worry about her. "I just need to go back to my room and get some rest, and I'm sure I'll be fine," she said. "See you later!"

"See you. If you feel better, give us a call, okay?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite what she had told Pilar and the others, after leaving the conference room, Yume didn't immediately head back to the dorms. Instead, almost as if they had a mind of their own, her legs carried her to the rink where Mikhail was practicing by himself. He didn't seem to be aware of her presence, completely focused on the sit spin he was performing.

 _He truly is a beautiful skater_ , Yume found herself thinking as she watched Mikhail from behind the boards. His spin was textbook perfect: centered and controlled, his back straight as an arrow and his free foot pointed like a dancer's. Even though there was no music, the spin was light enough that she only heard the barest of sounds as his blade scratched the ice. Yume was almost afraid to breathe, not wanting to ruin the tranquility of the sight.

When Mikhail finally pulled out of the spin, he was facing away from where Yume was standing. He began a series of crossovers, building up speed for a jump. At the right moment, he then took off on a forward outside edge for his axel, although to Yume's surprise, he popped it.

"Yume."

Mikhail had noticed her watching him.

Yume felt frozen in place. A part of her wanted to run out of the rink in embarrassment of being caught, but she knew running away would only make the situation worse than it already was. The two of them had just officially been cast as the leads in Kaleido Stage's new production; no matter what happened last night, they couldn't allow it to affect the professional side of their relationship.

"T-That was a beautiful sit spin you just did," Yume sputtered out, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Mikhail skated over to take a drink from the bottle of water he had set on the boards. "Thanks," he said after taking a swig.

"So, it's finally official, huh? We're the leads in the new production. It sounds like it's going to be a great sh-"

"Yume, you didn't seriously come here to talk to me about the show, did you?" Mikhail interrupted. "This is about what happened last night after we left the club."

Yume, grateful that he had broached the subject first, nodded. "I think we should probably talk…about it, shouldn't we?"

He shrugged. "If you want, although I don't think there's much to talk about."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You kissed me last night!"

"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have done that. To be honest, I wasn't in the best state of mind." He sighed, leaning his back against the boards. "If Tania and I were still together, last night would have been our third year anniversary. Our first date was during the White Nights festival I told you about. I guess I must have had a little too much to drink, trying to forget about it, and, well, I wasn't really thinking…"

So it was as she had suspected all along. The kiss hadn't meant anything to Mikhail at all. As far as he was concerned, she could have been any random girl, any warm, feminine body. Yume didn't understand why, but the fact left her feeling as if she had been punched in the gut.

"Yume, you… You didn't think I meant anything by kissing you, did you?" Mikhail asked, turning back around when Yume didn't react. "If I did anything to mislead you…"

Yume shook her head. "N-No, no, of course not," she said. "We're professional pairs partners, that's all."

"Then you understand?"

"Yeah. It was just a drunken mistake that'll never happen again."

Mikhail looked relieved. "Good. I'm glad we cleared that up," he said. "Do you want to join me for practice? We can start working on those side-by-side triple axels."

"Uh, my blades are being sharpened today," Yume lied. "Besides, I'm not feeling well, so I should probably try to rest as much as I can. Coach will kill me if I get sick again, especially now that the show has been announced."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, tomorrow."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ah, there's our lovely rising star, looking…well, not very good, if I'm being honest," Fool said, frowning when Yume returned to her dorm a few minutes later. "Something wrong? I thought you would be bouncing off the walls now that you're officially the lead in a Kaleido Stage production."

Yume flopped face first on her bed, wishing the floor would open up below her and just swallow her whole. "I don't want to talk about it, Fool. Just leave me alone."

Of course, Fool was never one to follow her orders. "What you need is a nice warm bath. Stay here, and I'll go draw one up fo-" Rolling her eyes, Yume threw Snowflake at him before he could finish. "Hey, that is no way to treat the Spirit of the Stage," Fool lectured, "especially when he is trying to do something nice for you."

"All you want is to see me naked," Yume mumbled into the pillow she had buried her face in.

"Well, I must admit that is a plus for me…"

Yume lifted her head up, giving Fool her most irritated glare. For once, it seemed to work, for he gave up on the bath idea.

"Fine, you're not in the mood for a bath. Then how about a nice cup of tea?"

That actually wasn't such a bad idea. Drinking tea usually helped lift her spirits. Deciding to take Fool's suggestion, Yume dragged herself out of bed and headed to the kitchenette to prepare a pot.

While the water was boiling, there was a knock on the door. She frowned, wondering who it could be, since Pilar and the others had gone out to celebrate the announcement of the new production. For a brief, crazy moment, she thought it might be Mikhail, coming to tell her that he had lied and the kiss had meant something to him after all, and felt a small twinge of disappointment when she opened the door to find Sora standing outside instead.

"Yume, are you sick?" Sora asked anxiously, entering the room uninvited and placing a hand on Yume's forehead. "I ran into Becca and the others after the meeting, and she told me you weren't feeling very well. Maybe you haven't fully recovered from your last cold…"

Seeing how concerned Sora was, Yume immediately regretted telling such a silly lie. "I'm fine, Sora," she assured her big sister. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. It was Clarissa's birthday yesterday, so a bunch of us went clubbing last night and didn't get back in until late."

Sora sighed in relief. "Oh, good. I'm glad it's nothing serious," she said. "So, you went clubbing with your friends? Did you have fun?

"Well, it was an…interesting night, I guess you could say." Wanting to divert Sora's attention elsewhere, she asked, "Would you like some tea? I just put on a pot."

"Tea sounds great. I'd love some."

Sora followed Yume to the kitchenette and took a seat at the table while she finished preparing the tea. "Oh, hey, Fool," Sora said, noticing the Spirit of the Stage for the first time. "You haven't been harassing Yume too much, have you?"

"Me?" He put on an innocent face. "Of course not. I've been a perfect gentleman," he said solemnly, causing Yume to scoff.

"Liar. Right before Sora arrived, you were trying to convince me to take a bath so you could see me naked."

"I was just trying to be helpful. Must you always question my motives?"

"You outright admitted it!"

Watching their exchange, Sora stifled a giggle behind her hand. "Some things never change, do they?"

"Yeah, Fool will always be a pervert - unfortunately," Yume said with a roll of her eyes as she brought two cups of tea over to the table and sat down across from Sora. "I've gotten used to it, though. Those tricks you taught me about really help."

"I'm glad." Sora took a sip of tea, then set the cup back down, her eyes focused on Yume. "So, tell me, what exactly did you mean by 'interesting'?"

Although she knew exactly what Sora was referring to, Yume played dumb. "Huh?"

"Last night?"

"Oh. Well, you know, interesting is interesting, except it really wasn't all that interesting, so I doubt you would be interested in hearing about my completely uninteresting night," Yume said in a fast, high-pitched voice that practically screamed the opposite.

Sora laughed. "By the way you're acting, I take it something interesting did indeed happen last night," she guessed correctly. "If you really don't want to talk to me about it, though, then I won't pry."

"Thanks."

The subject switched over to the new show and some of the ideas Mia had for it, but Yume found herself not paying much attention, still thinking about Mikhail and the kiss. She wish she could just forget about it and move on like he suggested, but it wasn't that simple. It had been, after all, her first, and it depressed her to think it had meant nothing to him at all. That wasn't the way first kisses were supposed to be!

And what about everything leading up to the kiss? Was that all an act, too? Had he been playing with her feelings the entire night, using her to forget the memory of his cheating ex-girlfriend? Had he planned to seduce her from the very start?

Yume didn't want to believe Mikhail was that cruel, but…

"Uh, Yume? Yume? Hello, Earth to Yume," Sora said, waving her hand in front of Yume's face.

"Oh!" Startled from her thoughts, Yume blushed. "Sorry, my mind must have drifted off. What were you saying?"

Her sister shook her head. "It was nothing important, but are you really feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, staring down at her nearly empty teacup. Without even noticing, she had drank almost all the liquid, only leaving the tea leaves behind.

"You don't seem fine. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? It might help."

"Well…"

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to confide in somebody about what had happened. She didn't want to talk to her friends about it, as wonderful as they were, but on the other hand, if she kept it to herself, Yume had a feeling she would drive herself crazy. Sora seemed like the perfect confidant.

"Tell me something, Sora," Yume said after a short pause, "why are men so complicated?"

Sora let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, somehow I thought this might have something to do with a boy. Did you meet somebody at the club?"

"No, not exactly…"

"Then it's somebody you already know. Somebody at Kaleido Stage? One of the other skaters?"

Fool, who didn't seem to find their conversation all that interesting up until that point, suddenly perked up, flying up in front of Yume's face. "You're in love with one of the skaters?"

"'In love' might be too strong a phrase," Yume said, twirling a strand of loose hair around her finger. Fool seemed strangely disappointed. "I'm not sure I even like him like that. I mean, sure, he is attractive - extremely attractive - and we've been getting along better lately, but…"

"But you're confused," Sora completed for her.

"Yes, exactly!"

"Does this mystery man like you?"

Yume again looked down at her tea cup and frowned. That was the million dollar question. "Sometimes I think he might. He even kissed me last night," she confessed.

"That seems like a strong sign that he does have feelings for you."

"Except today he apologized for the kiss and told me he was drunk, so he wasn't thinking straight at the time. He thinks we should just forget the whole thing ever happened."

"Hmm, it certainly sounds like he's giving you mixed signals."

"What should I do, Sora?"

Sora sighed and shook her head. "I wish I could give you some sage advice about love, Yume, really I do, but, to be honest, I was pretty clueless myself when it came to boys when I was your age. I mean, Ken evidently had a crush on me from the moment I arrived late for my Kaleido Stage audition, but I had no idea he liked me that way until several years later, even though Mia and Anna told me it was completely obvious to everybody else. Maybe you should ask one of your other friends."

"They would want to know all the details, including who, what, when, and where, and I don't think I'm ready to admit this to anybody else."

"I'm sorry. I really wish I could help, but…"

Though disappointed that Sora didn't have any real advice, she had to admit she did feel better, having told somebody. "It's okay."

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance, then," Fool offered, floating back down to the table and peering inside Yume's cup.

She rolled her eyes, still thinking that tasseography was a sham. "Fool, I doubt there are any answers to my questions in the bottom of my tea cup."

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Must you always doubt my fortune-telling abilities? Now, lessee…"

Fool struggled with his tiny hands to turn the cup three times, then asked Yume to turn it over to drain what little liquid remained, which she did, deciding to humor him just once. When she turned the cup upright again, Fool stuck his head inside and concentrated on the pictures the tea leaves supposedly made.

"So, what do you see?" Yume asked.

"Be patient; I'm still analyzing," he said. "Ah, but that's rather interesting…"

"What?"

He again blew her off her question. Yume sighed in annoyance, but waited until he raised his head back up before asking again. "So?"

"Congratulations! There's definitely love in your near future," Fool announced, appearing especially happy about that fact. "In fact, there may be two people in love with you."

"W-What?" Grabbing the tea cup, Yume took a look inside it herself. "Where do you see that? I don't see anything at all!"

"There are two hearts, right beside each other. Hearts are a classic symbol of love, so it's logical to believe there are two love interests involved."

Squinting her eyes, Yume thought she saw the image of the two hearts he was talking about, although it was a bit of a stretch. "Are you sure those are hearts?"

"Well, if they aren't hearts, then what do you think they are?"

She bit down on her bottom lip. "I don't know…" she admitted. "I guess they _could_ be, but assuming one of them is the guy I've been talking about, then who is the other? Definitely not Sergei or Sebastien."

And she hoped not Jason. How horrible would that be for Clarissa! Jason still only had eyes for Zoe, though, so Yume doubted it was him. Maybe Elizaveta's partner Dmitri? He had a fiancée back home, but long distance relationships were bound to be tough…

Yume shook her head and laughed. She was being ridiculous! Tasseography wasn't real.

"What's so funny?" Fool demanded to know.

"You almost had me believing you for a moment."

"I don't know, Yume," Sora said. She had taken the cup from Yume's hand. "I think I see the hearts, too."

"See? Your sister agrees with me."

"B-But…"

"That's not all I saw," he continued, ignoring Yume's protests. "One of them does not realize he's in love with you. The other does, but you do not love him. Also, you should be careful, because one of them may hurt you."

She had heard enough. Yume plucked the cup from Sora's grasp and rinsed it out in the sink. Sora and Fool exchanged a look, but getting the hint, they didn't say anything more about the matter. After chatting a few more minutes about the show, Sora excused herself and left.

"So I take it you don't believe me," Fool said once the door had closed behind Sora.

"Of course not. I'd be a fool if I did. Really, two people are in love with me? If you're going to make up premonitions, at least make them believable."

"Is it really that outside the realm of possibility?" His eyes roamed up Yume's body. "You're no supermodel, but I suppose you _are_ moderately pretty."

Yume was far from flattered. "Gee, thanks. That's what every girl wants to hear."

"I'm just saying, I'm sure there are some guys out there who find you attractive. Me? I prefer a girl with a curvier body, but -"

With a shake of her head, Yume grabbed Fool by the midsection and tossed him in her desk drawer, slamming it shut.

"Pervert."


	20. Confusion

Somehow Yume managed to set her conflicted feelings for Mikhail aside as they began rehearsing for the show in earnest. As it was, she barely had time to eat or sleep, much less brood on her romantic woes. May and Mia had them on the ice eight hours a day, learning the choreography - which Mia seemed to change daily - and when they weren't practicing, there were costume fittings, press events, and cast meetings to attend. Yume was grateful for the distractions but was happy when Sunday came around, giving them the day off.

She had plans to spend the day with her friends, going to see the new romantic comedy Zoe and Becca were dying to see in celebration of their last performance of _The Little Mermaid_ the previous night, but just before Yume left to meet the others, she received a call from Mia.

"I'm so sorry, Yume," the director said. "There was a mix-up with the photographer's schedule. Yuri thought he was supposed to come on Wednesday, but he's here today. He's booked solid for the rest of the month, so if we don't do this now, we won't have any photographs to use for the posters and flyers. Would you mind? I know it's your day off, but it won't take more than an hour or two."

Yume had no choice but to agree. Afterwards, she called Zoe, who was disappointed to hear that she wouldn't be able to come with them to the movies. "We can always go to a later showing," she said. "What time will be you finished?"

"But you already bought advance tickets," Yume reminded her. "You shouldn't let those go to waste. Just give mine to somebody else. I don't mind." She wasn't in the mood to watch a romantic movie, anyway.

"If you say so, but who should I give it to?"

Dominique was probably out of the question… "What about Jason? I bet Clarissa would like that," Yume suggested after a brief pause. A week after her birthday, Clarissa was still mortified about what had happened between them at the club, even though Jason had just laughed it off and teased her for drinking too much. Perhaps going to the movies together would give her a second chance to make a good impression. "Make sure they sit together."

Zoe laughed. "Since when have you become a matchmaker? Okay, I'll ask him, but I'm not sure if he'll want to go. It is a chick flick, after all."

"It's worth a shot."

When Yume arrived at her dressing room, one of her costumes was already hanging on the back of the door, waiting for her. She quickly changed into it and began applying her make-up.

Mia had told her to meet the photographer at the rink. He was already working when she showed up, snapping photos of Mikhail, whose costume of pale blue and white contrasted sharply with the fiery reds, oranges, and yellows of Yume's. Mia was also there, along with Kalos, Yuri, and May, sitting in the stands.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Yume," Mia said, walking over to greet her. "I hope we didn't ruin your plans for the day."

She shrugged. "It was nothing important. So, what do you need me to do?"

"Nothing at the moment. When Tony finishes with Mikhail, he'll take some solo shots of you, then a few of the both of you together. Like I said, it shouldn't take too long. Tony is very efficient at what he does."

"Oh." Yume smoothed down the ruffles of her skirt, trying to calm her sudden outbreak of nerves. After all, what was there to be nervous about? It was just a photo shoot. She'd done plenty of them in Japan, mostly advertisements for her skating sponsors and photo spreads for sports magazines.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Mia said, picking up on her jitters. "I think he's almost done taking the solo shots of Mikhail, so you should probably go ahead and put on your skates."

"Right."

Grateful to have something productive to do, Yume sat down on one of the benches and laced up her skates. She ended up having to retie them twice after messing up the first time. By the time she finished, Mikhail was skating off the ice, having completed his photo session. He passed right by her without saying a word and took on the other end of the bench, as far away from her as possible.

Ignoring him as well, Yume stood back up and joined the photographer on the ice.

"Miss Naegino, I presume?" he said, skating over to shake her hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Tony Milano, but feel free to just call me Tony. Are you ready to get started?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Yume said after taking in a deep breath.

"Great. If you will just step over in front of that canvas…"

Her session went by in a blur. Though she was a bit stiff at first, Tony had a way with getting his models to loosen up, cracking horrible, punny jokes as his camera snapped away. After awhile, Yume forgot the camera was even there. Even if she was no supermodel according to Fool, it was fun to pretend, at least for a little while.

"You know, you have a really great smile, Yume," Tony said upon viewing some of the photos on his digital camera after they had finished. "These pictures are fantastic. The camera loves you!"

"Um, thanks," Yume said, blushing as she pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad they turned out okay."

While Tony and a couple of his assistants set up for the final session, Yume skated around the rink and tried to keep out of their way. It was then that she became aware of the fact that Mikhail was standing at boards. Though he quickly glanced down at his watch to check the time when he saw her looking his way, there was no doubt that he had been watching her.

Yume let out a sigh. It wasn't the first time she had caught Mikhail staring at her during the past week, and she really wished he would stop. It just served to confuse her even more. Did he like her or not? His words said one thing, but his actions seemed to hint at another, and she didn't know what to believe anymore. Fool's silly prediction hadn't helped matters, either - not that she believed a word of it anyway.

"Hey, Mikhail, Yume, we're ready for the last set!" Tony shouted, waving them over. "Get over here!"

The both of them joined the photographer at the center of the ice, where Tony began working on their poses. "Lessee… Mikhail, you stand over here, and Yume, you stand next to him. No, a little closer. Just a bit more - you're supposed to be lovers, not strangers, for crying out loud! Okay, that's good. Now, Yume, I want you to turn slightly toward Mikhail and rest your head on his shoulder, but keep your face mostly facing forward."

Yume did as she was told, trying to ignore the butterflies she suddenly felt fluttering in the pit of her stomach. "L-Like this?"

"Yeah, that's great. Now, just place your palm over his heart, and Mikhail, why don't you wrap your arm around Yume's waist?"

Mikhail took Tony's suggestion, resting his hand upon her hip in an intimate manner that reminded Yume of when they had left the nightclub together a week ago. Startled by the sensation, she forgot Tony's instructions and had to ask him to repeat what he had said.

"Sorry," she apologized, moving her hand where Tony wanted it. "I guess I'm still a little nervous."

"No prob."

She wasn't the only one nervous, though. Through the fabric of Mikhail's silk shirt, she felt his heart pounding like a jackhammer. Yume glanced up at him, surprised, yet his face was calm and impassive, the very picture of an Ice Prince.

"Yume, put your head back down," Tony said, bringing up his camera to take the pictures.

"Oh, right, sorry!"

For the rest of the shoot, Yume did her best to get in the mindset of Seraphina, pretending that Mikhail was Prince Frost. Imagining them as different people made it easier for her to deal with the increasingly more romantic poses Tony asked them to perform, including the final one where Seraphina had to kiss Frost on the cheek. As she rose up on her toe-picks and brushed her lips against his face, Yume could have sworn she heard Mikhail suck in a sharp breath.

"Okay, that's a wrap. Good work, you two."

The second Tony declared they were done, Mikhail skated off without saying a word. Over the past week, Yume had grown accustomed to him leaving practice as soon as May dismissed them, so she wasn't that surprised. She stayed long enough to view some of the pictures on Tony's high-tech digital camera - they had turned out great - then changed out of her costume and headed back to her dorm room.

Since there were no practices that day and her friends were all at the movies, Yume wondered what she should with her unexpected free time. Maybe she would go over to Sora's house and play with Hana for a little while. She hadn't spent much time with her niece since moving to Cape Mary, and Sora and Ken would probably be grateful if she took her off their hands for a couple of hours. She was just about to call and ask if they minded if she came over when somebody knocked on the door.

It was Marion, the dorm manager. "Hey, Yume, there's a visitor waiting for you in the lobby," she informed her.

"A visitor? For me?" Yume wasn't expecting anybody. Her parents weren't due to return until opening day of the show, and she didn't really know anyone else in the area who wasn't affiliated with Kaleido Stage in some way. Joining Marion outside, she closed the door behind her. "Who is it?"

Marion shrugged. "Never seen him before. He looks Japanese though. He said his name was something like…Hero Massa?"

"Hiromasa?" Yume's eyes widened. "Hiromasa Mihara?"

"Yeah, I think that was it."

"Thanks, Marion. I'll go find him."

 _What is Hiromasa doing here at Kaleido Stage?_ Yume wondered as she headed down to the lobby. They had casually kept in touch with each other since she moved to America - the occasional text message or e-mail here and there as they were both very busy - but he never mentioned any upcoming plans to come visit her. She found him sitting on a couch, flipping through a magazine somebody had left behind.

"Mihara-kun?"

Smiling when he saw her, Hiromasa set down the magazine and stood up from the couch. " _Konnichiwa_ , Naegino-san."

"I can't believe it's really you!" she exclaimed, giving him a friendly hug. "What are you doing in Cape Mary?"

"It's summer break, so I thought I should keep my promise to come see you perform at Kaleido Stage. I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh." Yume sighed. "I really wish you had called me first."

"Why? You don't like surprises?"

She shook her head. "No, I love them, and you certainly did surprise me," she assured him. "It's just that opening night for the show isn't until the end of this month. I'm so sorry, Mihara-kun. You came all this way…"

"Oh, I see." He frowned, obviously disappointed by the news. "I must have gotten the dates mixed up. I thought you said June 29th in your e-mail."

"No, it's July 29th. It's still wonderful to see you again, though," Yume said, attempting to cheer him up. "How long are you staying?"

"Well, I was planning to stay until Wednesday…"

"You're not anymore?"

"Do you want me to stay?" Hiromasa asked, his cheeks lightly flushed as he scratched the side of his nose. "I mean, since I won't be able to see you perform on stage?"

"Of course I want you to stay. Even if the show isn't open yet, that doesn't mean we can't hang out." Yume clapped her hands together, getting a great idea. "In fact, it's just around lunchtime. Let me go back to my room and change, then we can go out to eat. My treat."

The sides of Hiromasa's mouth curved back up into a small smile. "I'd like that."

"Okay, I'll be back in ten minutes, tops."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in her dorm room, Yume frantically searched through her closet for something to wear. Her yellow polka-dot sundress seemed suitable enough for a lunch date, so she began changing out of her shorts and T-shirt, forgetting for the moment about Fool's presence until she heard a low whistle coming from behind her. Rolling her eyes, Yume threw her discarded T-shirt at him, which knocked him down to the floor.

"I don't have time to deal with your perverseness right now, Fool," she said, pulling down the hem of her dress just as Fool managed to find his way out from underneath the T-shirt.

"Is that anyway to treat the Spirit of the Stage?" he asked, sighing, although he seemed to forget all about it when he saw what she was wearing. "Oh, you're looking unusually pretty. Big plans?"

Normally, Yume might have smacked him for the backhanded compliment, but she was too happy about Hiromasa's surprise visit to care. "Thanks." She released her hair from her customary ponytail and began running a brush through it. "A skater friend of mine just arrived from Japan. I'm taking him out for lunch."

"Oh, a boyfriend? Then I'm coming, too."

"No, you're not." She stared at Fool's reflection in the mirror, suspicious. "Why do you even want to come anyway?"

"Because he might just be your fated partner."

"What are you talking about, Fool? I already have a partner, in case you've forgotten - Mikhail." Although she wondered if they could really be considered true partners, the way things currently were between them…

"Perhaps."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, Mikhail can't see me, can he?"

"No, but nobody else can see you either," she pointed out.

"Maybe this guy can."

"I doubt it." Yume reached for the bottle of perfume her mother gave her for her last birthday and spritzed some of the floral scent on her neck and wrist. "Hiromasa doesn't skate much anymore. He helped me learn a few pairs' maneuvers before the audition, but he's in college now, focusing on his studies."

"Still, he's a skater, so I have to check him out."

"No, you do not, and you will not," she reiterated as she dug the necklace Hiromasa had given her out of her jewelry box. If not even the Olympic champion could see Fool, she doubted Hiromasa would have any better luck. "Here, make yourself useful for once. Help me put this necklace on."

Yume pulled her hair to the side, allowing Fool to close the tricky clasp. "Done," he said once he finished, unable to resist taking a sniff. "Mmm, you smell nice, just like when you take a bubble ba- AHH!"

"Pervert!"

After tossing Fool into one of her drawers, Yume hurried back down to the lobby to meet with Hiromasa. "Ready to go, Mihara-kun?" she asked, coming up behind him and tapping him on the shoulder.

Hiromasa nodded, his eyes widening when he turned around and saw her. "Wow, Naegino-san, you look…cute," he said. Yume blushed at the compliment as he looked down at his own clothes in concern. He was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a polo shirt. "Am I dressed up enough?"

"You're fine. Come on, let's get a cab."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at one of Yume's favorite Cape Mary restaurants, a seafood place on the beach. Though they hadn't made a reservation beforehand, the restaurant wasn't crowded, so they got a table right away. It was located outside on the veranda, giving them a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean.

After ordering their drinks, Yume opened her menu and took a brief glance over the selections, even though she already knew what she wanted to order. "The shrimp here is amazing," she told Hiromasa. "Every time onee-chan and I come here, I always get the shrimp platter. What do you want, Mihara-kun?"

Hiromasa stared down at his own menu, his lips moving silently as he translated the English menu into Japanese. Fortunately, pictures were provided for most of the choices, giving him clues to the less familiar words. "Well, the salmon looks good," he said after a few moments, "but so does the tuna. Which would recommend?"

"I had the tuna once. It was good, but not as good as the shrimp. My brother-in-law loves the salmon, though."

"Then I'll go with the salmon," he decided, setting down his menu just as the waitress returned with their drinks to take their food order.

An awkward silence fell over the two of them once she left. They had never spent much time together off the ice in a social setting, so Yume was at a loss as to what to say. She nervously began fiddling with the skate-shaped pendant, which caught Hiromasa's eye.

"Hey, isn't that necklace I gave you before you left Japan?"

Yume smiled and nodded, pleased he remembered. "It is. I don't get the chance to wear it much, but it's my favorite piece of jewelry."

"I'm glad you like it."

"So, um, how are you liking college so far?" she asked, changing subjects.

"It's great," he said. "The classes are interesting, and I joined the Skating Club on campus, so that's a lot of fun."

"You're skating again?" He hadn't mentioned that in any of his e-mails.

"Just for fun. After you left, I contacted my former partner to see if she was interested in resuming our skating, but she lost interest in the sport during our break, so now I just skate by myself."

"That's a shame. About your partner, I mean."

Hiromasa shrugged, not looking too disappointed. "It's fine. We were never top-level competitors anyway, so it's no big loss. I'm happy just to skate recreationally."

"You never considered going pro?"

"I like skating, but I never intended to make it my career," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm majoring in psychology, and I hoping one day to become a sports psychologist, so at least I can stay involved in the sport that way."

"In that case, I may just have to hire you one day," Yume joked, letting out a weak chuckle.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Looking down at her glass of tea, she let out a sigh. Though she had experienced a boost of confidence after defeating Dominique in the Triple Axel Showdown, now that rehearsals for the show were in full swing, she wondered if she really was good enough to play the lead role. It didn't help matters that she and Mikhail were having some difficulties perfecting their side-by-side triple axels, which Mia insisted on adding to the production. "I just get discouraged sometimes, that's all. Playing the lead is a lot of pressure, especially in my first show. It's kind of nerve-wrecking."

"That's perfectly natural, but you're a fantastic skater, Naegino-san. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Thanks." She gave him a grateful smile. "I appreciate you saying so."

"I really mean it," he said, looking her directly in the eyes. "I'm not just saying that. I've thought you were something special ever since the first time I saw you skate."

Yume's cheeks burned under the intensity of his stare, and they grew even hotter when Hiromasa reached across the table for her hand.

"Mihara-kun?"

"I was really happy when your coach suggested I help you train for your audition," he said. "The truth is, I'd been wanting to meet you for a while. I sometimes saw you around the rink, but I… Well, I guess I was too shy to approach you."

Wait, was it just her imagination, or was Hiromasa attempting to confess to her? Was he the second love interest Fool predicted would appear? Yume pulled her hand away, feeling a bit uncomfortable with where the conversation seemed to be heading. Fortunately, the waitress chose that moment to return with their order, setting their plates in front of them. They each said the customary Japanese blessing, then started to eat.

They stuck to lighter subjects for the rest of the meal. Yume told him stories about her life at Kaleido Stage and her new friends - carefully avoiding the topic of Mikhail, who she had no desire to discuss, whenever possible - while Hiromasa talked some more about his college courses and the campus skating club. Despite the earlier awkwardness, by the end of the meal, they were behaving like old friends, and Yume wondered if she really had just misread Hiromasa's previous intentions.

 _Stupid Fool_ , she thought as they left the restaurant. _His idiotic prediction is making me think crazy things. Of course Hiromasa isn't in love with me!_

Since Yume didn't have any other plans for the day, afterwards she took him on a tour of the city. They visited Marine Land and the park, then spent an hour skating at the public rink, where she showed off her newly mastered triple axel. Hiromasa was duly impressed.

"Wow, that was incredible, Naegino-san!" he said, applauding when she performed a perfect landing.

She grinned. "Thanks."

After a while, though, Hiromasa's jet lag caught up to him so they decided to finally call it a day. "You know, you should come watch our practice tomorrow, Mihara-kun," Yume suggested as they waited for the cab to take him back to his hotel. Since Kaleido Stage wasn't far from the rink, she had decided to walk back on her own. "We're having a group practice, so even if you can't stay for the opening of the show, you can at least see a few of our numbers. I must warn you, though, they're still a little on the rough side. We only started learning them a week ago."

"Is that okay? I won't be in the way?"

"No, of course not."

"If it's really not a problem, then I would love to come," Hiromasa said just as his cab pulled up in front of the rink.

"Great. Practice starts at 9 o'clock in the morning, so I'll see you then!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at Kaleido Stage, it was nearing dinnertime, so Yume headed straight to the cafeteria. Her friends had returned from the movies and were already gathered at their usual table.

"Hey, guys, how was the movie?" Yume asked, taking the empty seat between Zoe and Pilar.

"Wonderful," Clarissa said in a dreamy voice, causing Pilar to roll her eyes.

"She's been like that ever since we left the theater, and all because Jason sat next to her during the movie. You'd think he had confessed his love to her or something the way she's been acting."

Zoe giggled. "I think your plan was a success, Yume."

"What plan?"

"I just suggested that Zoe give my ticket to Jason, that's all," she said. "I thought it would make Clarissa happy."

"Well, I'll say it did." Turning her attention to Yume, Pilar asked, "By the way, where have you been all day? And why are you so dressed up? That wasn't for the photo shoot, was it?"

"A friend of mine from Japan came for a surprise visit. We went out for lunch, then did a little sight-seeing."

"A friend? As in, a _boy_ friend?"

"Well, yes, Hiromasa is a boy, but it's not like that," Yume said, knowing exactly what was going through Pilar's mind. "We're just friends. He was the one who helped me with my pairs skating when I decided I wanted to audition for Kaleido Stage."

"So you two aren't dating?" She sighed in disappointment. "How boring."

Yume ignored her. "Anyway, I invited him to come watch our group practice tomorrow, so you can meet him then."

Pilar's interest in Hiromasa piqued again. "Is he cute? Wait, more importantly, is he straight?"

"Heterosexuality is now more important than looks?" Clarissa teased, finally breaking away from her post-Jason euphoria.

"Hey, I've been burned too many times from crushing on hot gay guys. Next time I fall for someone, I'm making sure he bats for my team," she said. "So? Gay or straight?"

"I think Hiromasa is straight…" Yume said.

"You only _think_?"

"Well, to be honest, I don't really know him that well. We only skated together for a short time, and we never really hung out outside of the rink."

"But if he's come all this way just to see you, Yume, I think there's a strong possibility he might like you as more than just a friend," Becca pointed out, reminding Yume of that one confusing moment during lunch. "I don't think many guys would do that for a girl they only casually know."

"Yeah, it kind of reminds me of the last scene in the movie we saw," Clarissa said. "You know, when the woman's ex-boyfriend flew all the way to Paris after she moved there for her new job and told her that he didn't care where they lived, as long as they were together?"

"Oh, I loved that part!" Elizaveta said. "It was so romantic!"

"I know, wasn't it?"

The two of them let out a dreamy sigh in perfect unison.

"Do you guys really think it might be like that?" Yume asked, blushing a little at the idea. Now that she thought about it more, Hiromasa traveling halfway around the world just to see her was a bit much when they barely knew each other. Maybe Becca had a point.

Pilar frowned. "So you do like him after all."

"I never said that."

"Then you don't."

"I never said that either," Yume said in a softer voice, not sure what she thought Hiromasa.

"Gah! You're driving me crazy, _chica_! I'm not the type to go after another woman's man, so make up your mind already!"

"If you and Hiromasa hit it off, I won't stand in your way," she promised. After all, it wasn't fair to declare Hiromasa off-limits when she wasn't even sure if she liked him that way.

"Really?"

"Hiromasa is free to date whoever he likes. I have no claim on him."

"You're the best, Yume!" Pilar said, giving Yume a hug. "Now, is this guy cute?"

"Pilar!" everybody exclaimed in unison.


	21. Falling For Him

_The chapel was filled with people. Yume didn't recognize many of them, but from her spot at the back of the room, she smiled when she spotted her friends from Kaleido - minus Mikhail - sitting in the pew just behind her parents and Ken, who held the most adorable baby boy in his arms. Her niece Hana, garbed in a frilly yellow dress, was making her way down the aisle, tossing matching rose petals on the ground, while matron-of-honor Sora stood at the front, beaming with pride at her daughter._

_Yume herself wore a Western-style strapless white gown with a yellow sash tied around the middle and carried a bouquet of daisies. Hiromasa, her husband-to-be, grinned when the traditional "Wedding March" began to play and he saw her for the first time, but as Yume began her walk down the aisle to the altar where he was waiting for her with love and adoration in his eyes, the only thought on her mind was that she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life._

_"Is it just cold feet?" she wondered, fighting every urge to turn back around and runaway. After all, marriage was a huge commitment; it was normal to feel a little nervous and apprehensive about vowing to be together until death do you part, right?_

_But deep in her heart, she knew it was more than just a case of last-minute nerves. She didn't love Hiromasa - at least, not in that way - so why on Earth was she marrying him?_

_No answer came to her as Yume reached the altar and took her spot next to a still-grinning Hiromasa. She forced herself to smile as well._

_The officiant began the ceremony, his words going in one ear and out the other. Yume just couldn't pay attention. She had to find a way to back out of this before it was too late, but how could she do that without embarrassing Hiromasa in front of all their friends and family?_

_"If anyone present knows of any reason why this couple should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace."_

_Upon hearing those words, Yume jumped back to attention and looked over her shoulder at the assembled guests, silently begging someone to speak up._

_No one did._

_She let out a sigh and turned her head back around just as the doors in the back of the chapel swung open. That time, everyone in the room turned their attention toward the back, including Yume and Hiromasa. Yume's eyes widen when she realized who the latecomer was._

_"Misha!"_

_A determined look on his face, Mikhail stalked down the aisle toward the altar, and without a word, he pulled Yume into the longest, most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. In the back of her mind, Yume knew she should have fought back, but she found no desire to do so, kissing him back with equal force. She didn't protest either when the kiss finally ended and Mikhail gathered her in his arms bridal-style to carry her away._

This _was where she belonged, she realized, forever in Mikhail's arms…_

At that point, Yume was rudely awakened from her dream by the sound of her alarm clock going off.

"Okay, that was weird…"

"What's weird?" Fool asked, floating up in front of her after she turned off the alarm.

She rolled her eyes and tossed aside her blanket to get out of bed. "You're weird," she said, pinning the blame for the dream on his silly prediction. "Why don't you go bug somebody else for a change?"

"I would, but, unfortunately, you're still the only person here other than Sora who is able to see me."

"So I'm stuck with you? Is that what you're saying?"

"If I didn't know better, I would think you didn't want me around, Yume."

"Oh, really?" After pulling out her clothes for the day, she tossed him into a drawer so that she could change. "What ever gave you that idea?"

"Just call it a hunch," Fool said dryly, his voice muffled from inside.

Yume stripped out of her pajamas and began putting on her practice clothes. "How long do you plan on hanging around, anyway?"

"Until you have reached the pinnacle of your pairs skating career."

"And when will that be? I know the reason you are here is because you think I have the ability to pull off some amazing, supernatural move like Sora did, but you've barely told me anything about it."

"For good reason: you're not ready yet," he said. "Besides, you have yet to find a partner, although I sense the time he will reveal himself is drawing close."

"I keep telling you, Fool, I already have a partner." She was beginning to feel like a broken record.

"Not for this, you don't."

"Then who is he?"

"That's for your heart to decide."

"Huh?" Yume was more bewildered than ever by his words, but she shook her head, deciding it was too confusing for her to try to understand. "Never mind. I've had enough of your silly riddles," she said, releasing him from the drawer. "I'm going to cafeteria."

After breakfast, it was time for the group skating practice to begin. Yume headed with her friends to the rink, where Hiromasa was already waiting for her outside the main doors. For a brief second, she flashed back to the dream she had earlier that morning, but she pushed the memory away and waved for him to come join them. "Mihara-kun!"

"Naegino-san, _ohayo gozaimasu_!" he greeted as he walked over.

Pilar, who was standing right behind Yume, discreetly whispered, "Kinda cute, but does he speak English?"

"Some. He can follow most simple conversations, but I don't think he's fluent," she whispered back.

"Spanish?"

"Probably not."

"Shame." Pilar shook her head and sighed. "Oh, well, you can have him. I like my men to at least share a common tongue with me."

Yume rolled her eyes at her just before Hiromasa reached their group. "I'm so glad you were able to come watch us practice today, Mihara-kun," she told him in Japanese before switching to English to introduce everyone. "I want you to meet my friends and fellow skaters: Pilar, Clarissa, and Elizaveta, but you can call her Liza. Girls, this is Hiromasa Mihara. He was my former partner in Japan."

Clarissa, who was nearest to him, was the first to offer her hand. "It's so nice to meet you, Hiromasa," she said, giving him a friendly smile.

Unaccustomed with the Western custom of shaking hands, Hiromasa hesitated for a moment before taking it. "Yes, it is nice to meet you as well, Miss Clarissa," he said in somewhat halting English. "I admired your performance at the Olympics with Mr. Sims. It was a beautiful program."

"Thank you." A faint blush colored her pale cheeks. "That's very kind of you to say."

"So, you're the guy who taught our Yume to skate pairs, huh?" Pilar asked, appearing as if she was sizing him up. "Hmm, I bet you were disappointed when she was selected to be Mikhail's new partner and you two had to break up."

Hiromasa, of course, had no idea what she was suggesting. "Excuse me?"

Yume shot Pilar a warning look. "Don't mind Pilar. She doesn't know what she is talking about." Pushing open the doors leading to the rink, she led the group inside. "Anyway, we should probably start warming up before practice officially begins. Come on."

May, Dominique, and most of the guys except for Mikhail were already out on the ice, going through their warm-ups. The coach, spotting Hiromasa among their group, skated over to the boards, hands on hips.

"Excuse me, but who are you, young man?" May demanded to know. "Our practices are closed to the public."

"He's a guest of mine, Coach Wong," Yume said, stepping forward. "I invited him to watch us practice today."

"I don't care if he's your boyfriend, Yume. You know the rules of this rink, and we have a strict no-spectators policy when it comes to practice."

Yume blushed a bright read at the assumption that Hiromasa was her boyfriend, but didn't bother to correct May. "Please, will you bend the rules just this once?" she pleaded. "He flew all the way from Japan to see me in the show during a break from school, but since the show hasn't opened yet, I told him it would be okay if he sat in on some of our practices."

"I can understand why you offered, but still -"

"Come on, Coach," Pilar interrupted. "Have a heart. It's not like the guy is from a competing ice show, trying to steal our routines. He's come all this way; it would be a shame if he didn't get to see Yume skate."

After a moment of silent deliberation, May sighed. "Fine, I suppose he can stay," she conceded. Pointing at Hiromasa, she continued, "But, you, hand over your cell phone and any cameras you might have. There will be no recording during practices.

" _H-Hai!_ I mean, yes, ma'am!" Hiromasa reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his cell phone, which he promptly handed over to May.

"You can have this back after practice is over. The rest of you, put your skates on and get out on the ice. The show is coming up fast, and we don't have a second to waste."

With that, May skated off to berate Dominique and Sebastien about the sloppy star lift they had just performed and Hiromasa staked out the best spot in the bleachers from which to watch the practice. Yume and the others, who were already dressed in their practice outfits, began changing into their skates.

"Thanks, Pilar," Yume said, smiling gratefully as she sat down beside Pilar on the bottom bleacher. "I really appreciate you sticking up for Hiromasa like that. I was afraid Coach Wong would make him leave."

"No problem," Pilar said. "After all, it really would have been a shame if he had come all this way and he didn't even get the chance to see the girl he loves skate, right?" She playfully nudged a blushing Yume in the side and winked.

"Will you stop saying things like that? Hiromasa is not in love with me!"

"Whatever you say, Yume."

By the time she finished lacing up her skates, the rest of the girls had already joined their respective partners out on the ice. Mikhail, however, was still a no-show, which was an unusual occurence for him. Other than the day they first met, when he had arrived late for his partner auditions, Mikhail was usually among the first on the ice. As Yume stepped out on the ice, she frowned, wondering where he was.

She was just about to ask May if she had heard anything from Mikhail when he finally showed up, looking as if he had just woken up. His blonde hair, which was usually neatly combed back, looked messy and unwashed, and, on closer inspection, Yume noticed faint dark circles underneath his eyes.

"Mikhail, you're cutting it close," May shouted, tapping the face of her watch as she skated over to the boards. "You do realize the show is opening in a matter of weeks?"

"Sorry, my alarm didn't go off, and I overslept," he said. "It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't."

After May skated back to the middle of the ice, Yume took her place at the boards. "So, your alarm clock didn't go off?" she asked. When Mikhail looked up at her, Yume smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I overheard you and Coach Wong."

"It's no big deal. I just set it wrong, that's all, so lay off me," he said in a gruff voice that surprised her. When he finished tying up his skates, Mikhail joined Yume out on the ice. "Come on, let's start warming up."

Letting Mikhail lead her to the center of the ice, Yume couldn't help thinking that he was definitely in a bad mood. Sure, things had been strained between them ever since the night of Clarissa's birthday celebration, but during practice, he usually acted in a professional, if somewhat detached, manner. Had she done something to upset him?

He abruptly came to a stop. "Who is that staring at you?" he demanded to know as Yume managed to keep herself from crashing into him. His ice blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He looks Japanese. A friend of yours?"

Following Mikhail's gaze, Yume saw that he was looking at Hiromasa, who was indeed watching them from his spot in the bleachers. "Oh, yeah, that's Hiromasa Mihara," she said, waving to him. Hiromasa turned beet red, embarrassed at being caught, and turned away, although he did return the wave. "Hiromasa was my training partner back in Japan when I decided I wanted to try pairs skating," she explained. Knowing that Hiromasa would probably love to meet one of his favorite skaters, she took Mikhail by the arm. "Come on, I'll introduce you. He's a huge fan of yours, so I'm sure it'll be a thrill for him."

Yume attempted to pull Mikhail in Hiromasa's direction, but he stood firmly in place. "We should be warming-up for practice. Maybe later."

"Practice doesn't officially start for another ten minutes. There's plenty of time." Yume pulled on his arm again, and reluctantly, Mikhail followed her over to the boards. "Hiromasa!"

Hiromasa came down from his seat to join them. "Shouldn't you two be warming-up, Miss Naegino?" he asked.

"Yes, but I wanted to introduce you first to Mikhail Vladimirov," she said, smiling brightly. "Mikhail, this is Hiromasa Mihara, a friend of mine from Japan. He's also one of your biggest fans."

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Vladimirov. Back when I was still skating competitively, you were my idol. You and Miss Pekrovskaya were amazing together." Taking a hint from his earlier introduction to Clarissa and the other girls, Hiromasa offered his hand in the Western manner, which Mikhail pointedly ignored by stuffing his hands in the pockets of his black hoodie and looking down at his skates.

"Yeah, thanks," Mikhail replied, not sounding sincere in the least.

Yume couldn't believe his boorish behavior. Skaters were taught to always be friendly and polite toward their fans, at least in Japan. Maybe things were different in Russia, but that didn't excuse him from being a jerk.

"I need to finish warming-up," he said, starting to skate away. "Are you coming, Yume?"

"In a minute," she said. As Mikhail skated back to the center of the rink, Yume frowned and turned back to Hiromasa. "Sorry about that, Mihara-kun. I don't know why he acted that way."

"It's okay. He's probably just focused on the show."

"I guess so." Yume doubted it, though. Something was bothering Mikhail, and she had a feeling it had nothing to do with figure skating or the upcoming show. "Anyway, I should head back and finish up my warm-up."

" _Gambatte_ , Naegino-san!"

"Thanks."

Skating over to where Mikhail was finishing a scratch spin, Yume stopped and placed her hands on her hips. "You know, you could have been a little nicer to Hiromasa," she lectured. "He is one of your fans, after all."

"Why is he even here?" Mikhail asked, sounding irritated. "Practices are supposed to be off-limits to outsiders."

"Coach Wong gave him permission to stay and watch. Is that a problem?"

"If Coach said he could stay, then I don't have a problem with it," he said, though his face said otherwise. Taking Yume's hand, he sighed. "Come on, let's just finish the warm-up."

All throughout the rest of the warm-up and into rehearsal, Yume wondered why Mikhail seemed so bothered by Hiromasa's presence. He was acting like a jealous boyfriend, which was ridiculous because he had made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in her beyond their professional relationship.

But then she remembered Fool's prediction and the strange dream she had that morning. Was it possible that he like her after all? Yume's heart started to race at the thought, and, looking over at Mikhail as they performed crossovers around the ice, she felt her cheeks warm in spite of the coldness of the rink.

"Yume," Mikhail said, startling her from her thoughts.

"W-What?"

"Let's try the throw axel at the next jump."

"The double? But that's supposed to be the throw triple toe," she reminded him, confused. Why was Mikhail suddenly suggesting replacing their most difficult throw with an easier jump? That wasn't like him at all.

"No, the triple," he corrected.

Yume's eyes widened. "B-But we've never practiced -"

"You can do it. I have faith in you."

"Mi-"

Before she could protest, Mikhail threw her across the ice with more force than he ever had before. Yume's mind immediately went on auto-pilot, completing the three-and-a-half revolutions required of the jump. In fact, she almost felt as if she could do another revolution, but she didn't attempt it, ecstatic that she even did the triple.

Unfortunately, she was so excited about completing the revolutions that she didn't check her landing. Triumph turned into fear as Yume felt the edge slip out from underneath her, causing her to fall and crash into one of the boards, head first.

"Yume!"

Mikhail's voice, shouting her name, was the last thing she heard before the world went black.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" _Itai_ …"

Yume, feeling as if a hundred hammers were simultaneously pounding on her skull, slowly opened her eyes to see Dr. Kate Thomas, Becca's mother, leaning over her. Kate smiled, reassuring her that she was at least still alive.

"Good, you've finally regained consciousness," the doctor said. It took Yume a few moments to comprehend that Kate was speaking English.

"Dr. Thomas?" Yume partially sat up and looked around at her surroundings. It appeared that she was in a hospital room, joined by Sora, Ken, and May, who were standing at the foot of the bed as Kate examined her. "Why am I at the hospital?"

"Yume, do you recall what happened?" Kate asked instead of answering her question, shining a bright light in both of her eyes. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I…think I was on the ice. It was a group practice?" Everything was kind of fuzzy. Yume tried to remember what might have happened to land her there, but came up blank. "Sorry, I can't…"

"Do you remember falling?"

"Falling?"

May came forward, looking surprisingly sympathetic for once. "Yume, you fell on a throw triple axel attempt and hit your head on the boards. Remember?"

Even knowing the facts, Yume couldn't recall the accident at all. "I'm sorry. I don't remember that," she admitted, frustrated with herself.

Kate placed a comforting hand on Yume's shoulder. "That's okay. It's not uncommon for patients to experience some loss of memory when they have a concussion."

"I have a concussion?"

"I'd like to run some tests to make certain it's nothing more serious, but, yes, it does appear you received a mild concussion from the fall."

"Oh." Well, that certainly explained the pounding headache. "Where's Mikhail?" Yume asked, noticing for the first time that her partner was not in the room.

"Don't worry about Mikhail right now. Just concentrate on resting and getting better as soon as possible. Remember, we have a show coming up soon, and we need you in tip-top shape," May said, patting Yume's arm. "I'm going to head back to the waiting room now. I'm sure everybody is anxious to hear that you've finally woken up."

"Yes, I know Becca was especially worried about you," Kate added. After May left, she turned to Sora and Ken. "I'll be ordering a CT scan to make sure that Yume's brain didn't suffer any other major damage in the fall, but she should be fine," she informed them. "You may stay with her if you like until it is time for the tests. Just try to prevent her from falling asleep again. I know she must be sleepy, but until we know the full extent of her injuries, I don't want to risk her falling into a coma."

"Thank you, Kate," Ken said. "We really appreciate it."

As soon as Kate left to order the scan, Sora, who had been unusually quiet, walked over to Yume's bedside. She tried to take a seat on the edge of the bed, but because of her advanced pregnancy, she couldn't, so she settled for just standing by Yume's side, squeezing her hand.

"You sure gave us a fright today, _imouto_ -chan," Sora said in a strained voiced. She attempted to smile, but Yume could see the tears in her eyes. "I don't think I was ever more scared in my entire life than when May called me to tell us that you had been taken to the hospital after falling on the ice."

"Don't cry, onee-chan. You heard Thomas-sensei. It was just a mild concussion. I'll be fine," Yume said, squeezing her sister's hand back. "Have you called otou-san and okaa-san yet? I bet okaa-san totally freaked out when she heard I was in the hospital."

"A little." Sora's smile became a little more genuine. "When I called her earlier, she was ready to book the next flight to California, but I convinced her that it wasn't serious enough for her and otou-san to fly all the way over here."

"Good. Thanks, I appreciate it." Their parents were already planning to fly out again for the opening of the show, so Yume hated the thought of them having to spend even more money on an unnecessary trip.

"I'm just so glad you're going to be okay," Sora said, giving Yume a hug.

"We all are," Ken agreed.

Just then, the door to Yume's room opened, and a nurse came in, pushing a wheelchair. "Yume Naegino?" she said, although she pronounced it more like You-mee Nah-ee-jee-no. "I'm here to take you down for the CT scan Dr. Thomas ordered."

Ken came over, placing a hand on his wife's back. "Come on, Sora. Let's go down to the cafeteria while they're performing Yume's tests. I'm sure you must be hungry."

"I suppose I could go for a little something to eat," she admitted, patting her rounded tummy. "Yume, we'll see you later, okay?"

Yume nodded. "Later!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yume returned to her room about twenty minutes later. Despite Dr. Thomas' words of warning, she could feel herself desperately wanting to fall asleep again. Yawning, she was about to close her eyes when she heard a knock at her door, jerking her awake.

"Misha?" she murmured to herself, wondering if her partner had finally come to check on her condition. In a louder voice, she called out "Come in!" to whoever it was at the door.

The door opened, but instead of Mikhail, it was Hiromasa, carrying a bouquet of daisies. "Naegino-san?" he said in a tentative voice. "Are you feeling up for visitors?"

Hiding her disappointment that it wasn't Mikhail, Yume sat up and waved him in. "Of course, come on in. I could use all the company I can get to help keep me up," she admitted as he entered the room. "Dr. Thomas told me I shouldn't fall asleep with a concussion, but I'm just so sleepy…" As if to prove it to him, she yawned again.

"These are for you." He presented her with the daisy bouquet. "I didn't know what flowers you liked, but you seemed like someone who would like daisies. I hope you like them."

"Thank you, Mihara-kun. They're beautiful."

"Here, I'll put them in some water for you." Hiromasa took the flowers back and headed to the private bathroom to put the daisies in a vase. When he returned, he placed the arrangement on her bedside table. "How are you feeling?" he asked, taking a seat in the chair provided for visitors. "That was quite the spectacular fall you took earlier."

"Really? I don't really remember the accident." Sighing, Yume looked down at her hands. Ever since she had regained consciousness, she had been struggling to recall the moments leading up to her fall, but it was as if the incident had been completely erased from her memories. "Coach Wong says I was attempting a throw triple axel, but I don't know why I would have done that. I've never tried one before. I've only just begun landing the individual jump with any kind of consistency, so why would I do something so reckless? It doesn't make any sense."

"You almost landed it, though. In fact, it almost looked as if you could have turned it into a quad, if you had wanted to," he told her. "Vladimirov-san really has a lot of power in his throws."

"Mikhail-san?" At the mention of her partner's name, Yume's head jerked back up. "Have you seen him? Is he here?"

"I haven't seen him since the accident, now that you mention it." Hiromasa frowned. "That's strange. He seemed really concerned when you fell, but when your friends and I arrived at the hospital, he was nowhere to be found. He hasn't come by to see you?"

"No, I haven't seen him," Yume said softly, shaking her head.

"I don't get it. If my partner was in the hospital, I wouldn't leave her side until I knew she was going to be okay."

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Even as she said that, though, Yume doubted her words. She couldn't think of a single reason why Mikhail hadn't come by the check on her. Didn't he care for her at all, if not on a romantic level, then at least as a friend and partner?

"I guess that's why people call him the Ice Prince. He's as cold as they come."

"No, he's not!" The vehemence in her voice surprised Yume, but despite his absence, she felt the need to defend him. "I believe Mikhail really is a kind person, underneath it all," she insisted, tightly clutching her blanket with closed fists. "I know he seems aloof sometimes, but I think that's just because he's afraid of getting close to people. Pekrovskaya-san really hurt him when she left him for that other skater, so -"

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Hiromasa asked, interrupting her.

"What?"

"You're in love with Vladimirov-san," he repeated, to which Yume responded by waving her hands in front of her.

"No, of course not. Don't be silly! He's just my pairs partner, nothing more," she said, a little too quickly. To mostly herself, she added, "Isn't he?"

Why did she keep trying to deny it? The truth was, from the moment he kissed her after Clarissa's birthday celebration, Mikhail had been constantly on her mind. Yume had tried to forget the kiss like he had asked her to, but it was impossible. Maybe he only thought of her as a professional partner, like he told her the day after, but her feelings for him ran much deeper than that.

Hiromasa sighed. "It seems I was too late," he said. "I knew I should have told you how I felt when I had the chance."

Though she had her suspicions about Hiromasa's true feelings for her, Yume felt awful, knowing for certain that she would never be able to return them. Hiromasa was a good friend, but that was all that she would ever feel for him. "Mihara-kun…"

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he said. "Long distance relationships never work out anyway, especially when the participants live on different sides of the world." Getting up from his chair, he gave her a weak smile. "Anyway, I should probably let somebody else have a chance to visit you. I think your friends have the wrong idea about our relationship. They insisted I see you first."

"Mihara-kun… I'm sorry," Yume apologized as Hiromasa opened the door to leave.

"I hope you get well soon, Naegino-san."


	22. Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: "Kaleido Star" doesn't belong to me.

Kate had Yume spend the night at the hospital for observation, but she was released early the next morning. Mikhail never did come to visit her, a fact that both disappointed and relieved her. She wanted to see him, but after everything that had happened, Yume wasn't sure what she would say to him if she did.

Back at Kaleido Stage, practice for the show resumed without her. Kate thought it best that she stay off the ice for at least one more day, so Yume decided to spend the day catching up on her sleep. Because of her concussion, she had been constantly prodded awake at the hospital by doctors, nurses, and visitors, worried she might fall into a coma, and she was utterly exhausted. After undressing, Yume crawled into bed and instantly fell asleep.

About three hours later, there was a knock on her door. Moaning at the unwelcome disturbance, Yume rolled over on her back and slowly pried her eyes open. "Ugh, who can that be?" she asked. "Fool, go see who that is, will you?"

Looking around the room, however, she saw that Fool was nowhere in sight for once. There was another knock on the door, louder than the first, so with a hefty sigh, Yume reluctantly pulled herself out of bed and went to answer it.

"Coming, coming!" To herself, she muttered, "If it's one of the girls, I'm going to kill them. I told them I didn't want to be disturbed today."

She opened the door to find that her surprise visitor was not one of the girls. In fact, her visitor was very much male.

"Misha!" Her heart began to beat a little faster, despite herself.

"S-Sorry," Mikhail said, his face uncharacteristically flushed as his gaze dropped down to her feet. "I didn't realize you were sleeping."

Confused, Yume looked down and realized that she was dressed in only a flimsy camisole and matching panties. In her sleep-deprived state, she had forgotten to change into the more modest, "Fool"-proof nightclothes she normally wore to bed. She turned beet red.

"Um, I'll be right back." Yume closed the door and ran back to her bedroom to put on a robe, taking a few seconds to run a brush through her messy hair. When she returned, she inhaled deeply to calm herself before reopening the door. "Sorry about that. Come in."

"I won't stay long," he said, hesitantly stepping inside. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. How are you?"

"Tired, but otherwise okay. Dr. Thomas says if I feel up to it, I can probably start skating again tomorrow."

"That's good."

"Um, would you like something to drink?" Yume offered. "Tea? Coffee?"

"Some coffee would be great."

"Sure." She headed to the kitchenette, Mikhail following her. "Have a seat," she said, indicating one of the chairs at the table. "It'll be a few moments while I brew it. I don't drink much coffee. I'm more of a tea person myself. Must be because I grew up in Japan." She was babbling, and Yume knew it, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Oh. If you would rather have tea, I don't mind."

"No, it's fine. Coffee's fine every once in a while. Besides, I could use the caffeine. I really shouldn't mess up my sleep schedule too much, if I intend to get back to practice tomorrow."

"You shouldn't push yourself too hard."

"I'm not," she assured him. "Like I said, Dr. Thomas gave me the okay, and don't forget the show starts at the end of this month. There's no time to waste. I'm sure Coach Wong is furious as it is that I even had to skip today's practice." By that time, the coffee had finished brewing. "How do you take it? With cream? Sugar?"

"I prefer it black."

"Black it is." Yume grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and poured the coffee, adding several spoonfuls of sugar into hers to mask the somewhat bitter taste. "Here."

After handing one of the mugs to Mikhail, she took the other one and sat down in the chair across from him. An awkward silence fell over them while they drank. Yume wanted to ask him why he never visited her at the hospital, but she didn't know quite how to bring it up without letting on how disappointed she had been at his absence, so she kept quiet, hoping he would tell her on his own without her prompting. Mikhail was the one to break the silence as he set his almost-empty cup back down on the table.

"Yume."

Startled by the sound of his voice, Yume almost choked on her coffee. "What is it?" She noticed that he had a serious look on his face - even more serious than usual.

"I didn't just come here to see how you were doing," he admitted, taking a deep breath before he continued. "The truth is, I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?"

He frowned. "You really don't remember what happened, do you? I spoke with Elizaveta earlier. She said that you didn't remember the accident."

Shaking her head, Yume looked down at her coffee. "I have vague memories of practice, but I don't remember falling or hitting my head on the board at all. Dr. Thomas says it is common for people with concussions to forget what happened right before their accidents." Looking back up, she asked, "Why?"

Mikhail seemed unable to bring himself to look her in the eye. "It's my fault that you got hurt, Yume," he finally confessed in a soft voice.

"What do you mean? It was just an accident. I probably got cocky and told you I could land a throw triple axel, since I've been doing so well on the individual jump. I shouldn't have tried it. My stupidity isn't your fault."

Mikhail shook his head. "You didn't want to do the jump. I was the one who insisted we try it, against your better judgment," he said. "I… I just wanted to show off in front of your friend."

"My friend?" It took her a moment to realize who he was referring to, and her eyes widened in surprise. "You mean Hiromasa?"

"Yes. He was your former partner, right?"

"For a little while. He helped me prepare for my audition with you," she said, cocking her head to the side. "But why would you want to show off in front of him? You're the current Olympic champion; Hiromasa is a good skater, but he's nowhere near your level."

"It had nothing to do with skating."

"Huh?"

He abruptly stood up. "Look, Yume, I'm sorry I forced you to take such a stupid risk, okay?" Mikhail apologized. "It was incredibly selfish of me, and I shouldn't have let my jealousy control me like that." Picking up his mug, he gulped down the rest of his remaining coffee. "Thanks for the coffee, but I should probably be heading back to the rink now. Even though you aren't skating today, Coach Wong still wants me to work on Frost's solo numbers. I'll see myself out."

Mikhail started to head back toward the door, but Yume jumped up from her chair and grabbed his arm. Was he really saying what she thought he was saying?

"Wait!" she said. Mikhail pulled his arm away from her, but didn't leave. "Jealousy? You were jealous of Hiromasa because you thought we were dating? B-But the day after Clarissa's birthday, you -"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mikhail suddenly kissed her, long and hard. Yume's eyes widened in shock, then closed as she let herself give into the feelings she had been trying so hard to deny. With no alcohol to impair his coordination, Mikhail was an even better kisser than she remembered, and Yume felt as if her entire body was on fire.

 _Is this really happening?_ Yume wondered as Mikhail guided her arms to wrap around his neck. _Or is this just some sort of wonderful, concussion-induced dream?_ She decided she didn't really care either way. If it really was a dream, then she never wanted to wake up.

And if it was real, then her dream had become a reality.

Yume had no idea how long they stayed like that. It could have been minutes, hours, or even days, for all she knew, but when they finally broke apart, they were both breathless.

"You have no idea how many times I've wanted to do that again since that night," Mikhail confessed, brushing back a strand of her hair that had fallen over her eyes. A rare smile danced across his lips.

"You did?" Yume blushed, then shook her head, coming back to her senses. "I don't understand, Misha. You said that kiss didn't mean anything to you, that you were drunk and weren't thinking clearly. You wanted us to be pairs partners and nothing more. So why? Why have you suddenly changed your mind?"

For a long moment, he didn't answer. The smile disappeared from his face, and he poured himself another cup of coffee, though he only took a sip of it before setting it back down on the counter.

"Misha?"

"What I told you that day at the rink," he said, his back turned to her, "that wasn't the entire truth. I was drunk that night, but I knew exactly what I was doing when I kissed you. I wanted to kiss you."

"Then why did you say it didn't mean anything?" Yume asked, more confused than ever. "I don't understand."

"To be honest, Yume, I'm not sure I understand why I said that myself." Sighing, Mikhail ran a hand through his hair and turned back around to face her. "I suppose I was a bit gun-shy after what happened with Tania. I didn't want to risk ruining our professional relationship by pursuing a romantic one with you, no matter how attracted I was to you, so I just ignored my feelings and concentrated on the show. I thought that was the right thing to do. But then I saw you hugging your friend in the lobby -"

"Hiromasa?"

He nodded. "When I thought that you might have a boyfriend, I became incredibly…jealous. I couldn't even sleep that night. All I could think about was him touching you, and holding you, and kissing you… The images wouldn't stop." Mikhail shook his head as if to erase the memory of them from his mind. "So when I showed up late for practice yesterday and saw him sitting in the stands, watching you, I… Well, I guess the best word in English to describe it is 'snapped.'"

"And that's why you were so rude to Hiromasa when I tried to introduce you," Yume said, suddenly remembering Mikhail's less-than-civil attitude toward her former partner. The picture was becoming more clear.

"I was a jerk to him, but even more so to you. I never should have suggested we try the throw triple axel. You were still too inexperienced with the jump. If you had been seriously hurt during that fall…"

"I'm fine. It was only a mild concussion. I'm going to be okay."

"But your injuries could have been a lot worse, and I would have been responsible. I was so afraid when I saw you hit those boards. When I couldn't wake you, I…" He pulled Yume closer toward him as if to reassure himself that she was truly okay, and not just a figment of his imagination. "I-I'm sorry, Yume," he whispered into her hair. "I'm so, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

Yume didn't know what to think. Even after hearing the whole story, she still didn't remember much about her fall, but it was obvious that Mikhail had been carrying around a lot of guilt over what happened. It made sense now, why he never came to visit her in the hospital. He had been too ashamed to face her.

But it was clear to her that it was only an accident. She knew Mikhail would never do anything to intentionally hurt her, so in acceptance of his apology, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him again.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mikhail's kisses were addictive.

One kiss became two. Two kisses became three. After the third one, Yume stopped counting, instead giving herself completely to the moment. Nothing and no one else mattered in the world except Mikhail.

Yume wasn't quite sure how it happened, but they somehow made their way from the kitchenette all the way to her bedroom. Though a voice in the back of her mind suggested things might be moving a little too fast, Yume ignored it, too caught up in how wonderful it felt to finally be in Mikhail's arms. When he reached down to untie the belt of her robe, she let him, allowing the robe to slide down to the floor at her feet to reveal the cami and panties she wore underneath. She made no attempt to cover up.

Mikhail then gently pushed Yume down on the bed, his soft lips moving to explore other parts of her anatomy. Yume moaned and sighed in pleasure as he kissed along her jaw line, her ears, her neck, her shoulders, and collarbone. He was still dressed in his usual practice clothes - sweats and a T-shirt - a fact Yume felt the need to rectify. Reaching for the bottom of his T-shirt, she pulled it up and over his head, exposing his torso, well-toned from years of performing pairs lifts and throws. She ran her hands over his chest and back, enjoying how his rippled muscles felt to her touch.

Flipping over on his back, Mikhail let Yume take the more dominant position. She was just about to strip off her camisole when she noticed Mikhail was looking at something over her shoulder, instead of the more obvious area. While Yume was well aware that she had not been blessed with large breasts - a blessing-in-disguise, considering her sport - she always thought their perkiness made up for it. Letting the camisole fall back down into place, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Misha."

Mikhail looked up at her. "Yume?"

"Am I doing something wrong?" she demanded to know. Admittedly, Yume didn't have much experience to draw from.

He partially sat back up on his elbows, shaking his head. "Believe me, you're doing just fine," he assured her. "I was just wondering where that flying doll came from."

"Flying doll?" Mikhail indicated the spot above her right shoulder, which he had been staring at, and Yume craned her neck to the side to discover that a certain perverted pint-sized Spirit of the Stage was indeed floating in the air beside her, a lecherous grin on his face as he looked down her camisole. "Fool!"

"Damn, so close!" Fool said as Yume grabbed him by the midsection, never more mortified in her entire life.

"I can't believe you!" she admonished, dismounting Mikhail and grabbing a blanket to cover herself as best she could. "You were seriously going to watch me and Mi…sha…" Her voice trailing off, Yume turned her attention back to Mikhail and pointed to Fool, who was struggling to get out of her grasp. "Wait, so you can see him?"

"You can see me?" Fool echoed, for the moment, giving up his attempt to break free.

"It talks as well?" Mikhail asked. "Japan certainly makes some amazing toys…"

"You really, honestly can see him?" Yume repeated, ignoring his question.

By that point, Mikhail looked hopelessly confused. "Of course I can, Yume. It's a very realistic-looking, talking, flying doll dressed up like a court jester." He sat up completely, his brows furrowed together. "Is there a reason why I _shouldn't_ be able to see him?"

"Uh, well…" Yume scratched the back of her neck. She had not expected this, since Mikhail didn't have the ability to see Fool before. "It's a bit complicated…"

"What is so complicated about it?" During her distraction, Fool managed to wiggle out of her grasp and bowed deeply to Mikhail. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Fool, the mystical Spirit of the Stage. Only those who are truly destined for the stage can see me."

"Then that means…"

Fool nodded. "Yes, Yume. That means you have finally found your partner."

"What are you talking about?" Mikhail asked, pulling his discarded T-shirt back on. "I have been Yume's pairs partner since April."

"True, but to perform the Lovers' Maneuver, the pair attempting the feat must be a couple both on and off the ice."

"The Lovers' Maneuver?" both Yume and Mikhail repeated in unison.

"You both know of the Legendary Great Maneuver and the Angel's Maneuver, I presume?"

"Of course. I was only a baby at the time, but I know Sora performed both of them here at Kaleido Stage."

"I think Coach Wong mentioned them once or twice."

"To perfect those two maneuvers is the greatest accomplishment a trapeze artist can ever attain," Fool explained. "Likewise, the Lovers' Maneuver is the figure skating equivalent, a mystical act that only those truly destined for the stage can ever hope to pull off."

"But what is it, exactly?" Mikhail asked.

"Yeah, what kind of maneuver is it? A new jump? A new spin? A new lift? You told me that once I found my partner, you would finally tell me everything I've been wanting to know," Yume reminded Fool.

"And so I will," the Spirit of the Stage said as Yume and Mikhail gave him their complete attention. "At a later date."

Yume jumped back up and grabbed Fool again. "Fool! You promised!"

"I'm sorry, Yume, but I cannot reveal the mechanics of the Lovers' Maneuver until I judge you and Mikhail worthy of the task."

"Isn't the fact that Mikhail and I can see you proof that we can do it?"

Fool shook his head. "The only thing that proves is that you are both destined for the stage. The qualification to perform the Lovers' Maneuver is completely separate from that."

"Then what do we need to do in order to qualify?"

"That, I cannot tell you," he said. "However, I will suggest that if you are truly interested in training for the Lovers' Maneuver, you should contact a skating coach by the name of Merle. I believe you already know her, Yume."

"You mean Merle Palmer?"

"Who is that?" Mikhail asked.

"The owner of the Cape Mary Skating Center. She was the one who helped me train for the Triple Axel Showdown. She also trained Coach Wong back in the day." She turned her attention back to Fool. "So Coach Palmer can train us for the Lovers' Maneuver?"

"She knows the basic training regimen, yes."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go talk to her!" Yume said, jumping up from the bed. She was so excited by the idea, she didn't even care that Fool was ogling her in her underwear.

"Hold on." Mikhail stood up as well, reaching for her wrist. "You're still recovering from your concussion, and I'm supposed to be at practice." He glanced over at her alarm clock. "In fact, I'm already ten minutes late."

"Oh, right." She had forgotten. "Then we'll go tomorrow after afternoon rehearsal."

"You really want to do it? The Lovers' Maneuver?"

"Of course!" she said. There was never any question in her mind, but she frowned, noticing that Mikhail didn't seem quite as enthused by the prospect. "Don't you?"

"I… This is a lot to consider," he said. "Everything has happened so fast. I don't know how I feel about it."

"That's all the more reason to talk to Coach Palmer about it, right? She can tell us more about it."

"I guess so. Okay, we'll go see her tomorrow, if that's what you really want," he agreed. "I really do need to get back to practice, though."

"Sorry I kept you for so long," she apologized as she pulled her robe back on and walked him to the door. "Coach Wong is going to be furious with you."

"Don't worry about me. I'm just sorry we were interrupted."

Yume blushed, remembering what they had almost done. She still couldn't believe she had let herself get so carried away like that. A part of her was disappointed as well, but for once, she was grateful for Fool's perverted nature. She wanted her first time to be special, not some spontaneous thing that she knew she would regret later, no matter how much she cared about Mikhail.

"Anyway, get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow," he said, chastely kissing her on the forehead before leaving.

She closed the door behind her and headed back to her bedroom, practically floating on air. Fool seemed pleased with what had happened as well, a smug look on his face as he flew in front of her.

"Ahem, I do believe somebody owes me an apology," he said.

"For what?" Yume asked, pulling out a pair of proper pajamas to change into.

"For doubting my prediction. Everything I told you came true, didn't it?"

"I suppose so," she was forced to admit, "but it could have just been a lucky guess."

Fool sighed. "You're never going to take my fortune-telling seriously, are you?"

"Nope!" She laughed at the crest-fallen look on his face. "Sorry, Fool, I just don't believe in that sort of thing. Never have, never will."

"Well, the important thing is that you've finally found your destined partner."

A gleam appeared in Yume's eye. "Which also means you now have somebody else you can stalk, right?"

"Ri- Huh?"

Yume grinned. This day had been a long time coming. She grabbed Fool and triumphantly tossed him out the front door. "Have fun with Misha!" she trilled in a sing-song voice, slamming the door in his face when he tried to fly back inside.

"Yume, hey, open up!" Fool shouted, knocking frantically. "I don't want to keep company with a…a _man_. That's no fun!"

"Too bad."

"Come on, have a little compassion. You know you enjoy having me around."

"Only in your twisted little mind."

"I'll be good this time, I promise."

"Bye, Fool!"

Ignoring his continued pleas, Yume changed into her snowflake-printed pajamas and crawled back into bed, a smile on her lips as she visited Mikhail in her dreams.


	23. Making It Official

The next day, Yume returned to practice, more focused and determined than ever before. Even the other girls had noticed the change in her. "You know, maybe I should try giving myself a concussion," Pilar joked after their last rehearsal of the day. "If I could skate like Yume did today, it would be totally worth it."

Yume blushed. She had yet to tell the girls the real reason why she had skated so well: Mikhail. After what had happened yesterday, the two of them had discovered a whole new dynamic to their skating. It was as if they had truly become Seraphina and Frost, the lovers in _Fire and Ice_ , instead of just merely acting out the parts. Even Mikhail, who was normally very cold and technical when he skated, seemed to have a newfound tenderness about him.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Yume said, unlacing her skates. "Concussions are not fun, believe me. Besides, the way I skated today had nothing to do -"

"Yume, are you ready to go?"

Glancing up, Yume smiled when she saw Mikhail standing in front of her, his skate bag swung over his shoulder. "Almost," she replied. "Give me a couple more minutes. I'll meet you outside."

He nodded and left, Yume's friends turning their attention back to her as soon as Mikhail was out of earshot. "What was that about?" Clarissa asked. "Where are you two planning to go together?"

"More importantly, whatare you two planning to _do_ together?" Pilar demanded to know, a wicked smile on her lips. "Could it possibly a date? Oh, I feel so sorry for Hiromasa. He came all this way just to get dumped in favor of a hotter, more talented guy. You really are a heart-breaker, aren't you?"

Yume sighed, still feeling awful about how things had ended between them. She had tried calling Hiromasa several times the night before, hoping to see him at least one more time before he went back to Japan in order to apologize properly, but he never picked up - not that she really blamed for ignoring her. She doubted she would want to see him either if the situations were reversed, although she hoped that one day they could go back to being friends.

"Hiromasa was never my boyfriend, Pilar," Yume reminded her. "Besides, it's not a _date_. Misha and I are just working on something for the show together, that's all." Which was technically true.

"That's all, huh?" Pilar arched an eyebrow, clearly not believing her in the slightest. "You sure about that?"

"I'll tell you guys everything later," Yume promised after tying the laces of her tennis shoes. "For now, Misha is waiting, so I have to go. See you!"

Leaving the girls behind to speculate amongst themselves, Yume headed outside, where she found Mikhail leaning against a tree, waiting for her. She ran over and surprised him with a lingering kiss on the lips.

"Hey, what was that for?" he asked, smiling as they pulled apart.

Yume shrugged. "Just felt like it," she said, grinning as well. Truth be told, she had been eager to kiss him all day long. It seemed every time they had tried to find a private moment together between practices, they had been interrupted by one of the other skaters. "Ready to go see Coach Palmer?"

"I'm ready if you are."

The Cape Mary Skating Center wasn't far from Kaleido Stage, so Yume and Mikhail decided to walk instead of taking a taxi. When they arrived, they walked over to the skate rental booth to ask where they could find Merle. An older man, probably in his fifties or sixties, was manning the booth alone.

"Welcome to the Cape Mary Skating Center," the man said when they came over. "What size skates do you two need?" Noticing that Yume and Mikhail were both carrying a pair of skates over their shoulders, he arched his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh-ho! I see you already have skates. Well, in that case, would you like to sign up for public lessons? The first three are free."

"Actually, we'd like to speak with Merle Palmer," Mikhail said. "Is she here?"

"She is, but may I first ask what business you have with my wife?"

"We're students of May Wong's," Yume said. "A few weeks ago, she asked Coach Palmer to help me with one of my jumps, and now we're hoping that she can help us with another maneuver."

"Ah, May Wong - I remember her. She was one of Merle's most promising pupils. It's a shame she decided to quit skating before winning any major titles, but she did well enough for herself at Kaleido Stage, at least until she had that terrible accident six years ago." Mr. Palmer stared at the two of them for a long moment, tapping his chin with his finger. "Wait a minute… You two look familiar. Don't tell me you two are the headliners for Kaleido Stage's new ice show?"

Yume smiled, pleased he had recognized them. "In fact, we are. I'm Yume Naegino, and this is my partner, Mikhail Vladimirov. Nice to meet you."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place? What an honor to have two such world-class athletes visit our humble rink." Stepping out from behind the booth, he motioned for them to follow. "I believe you were looking for Merle? Follow me. She's teaching a beginner's class at the moment, but she should be finishing up."

Mr. Palmer led Yume and Mikhail to one of the skating center's private rinks, where Merle was indeed finishing up a lesson with a group of four to six year olds. The three of them waited at the boards until the tiny skaters filed off the ice. "Hey, Merle!" he called out, waving his wife over. "You have visitors!"

"Visitors?" Merle skated over, adjusting her glasses as she looked over the newcomers with interest. "Well, hello, Yume. Nice to see you again. And you must be Mikhail Vladimirov; I'm a great fan. What can I do for you two today?"

Mikhail shot straight to the point. "We'd like you to teach us how to do the Lovers' Maneuver," he declared. "We were told you would be able to help."

Her eyes slightly widened. "You were, huh?" Merle sighed. "You do realize the Lovers' Maneuver isn't something you can just be taught, young man? It's not like learning a throw triple loop or a death spiral. Certain conditions must be met, and no matter how talented a pair you might be, without them, you are certain to fail."

"If you're talking about the ability to see the Spirit of the Stage, we've both seen him," Yume said. "He's the one who suggested we come to you."

"Is that so?" Merle asked. She raised an eyebrow. "Is Fool still as perverted as I remember him?"

"You mean you've seen him, too?"

The coach smiled wistfully. "It was a long, long time ago, but yes, back in my competitive skating days, I was once a candidate to perform the so-called Lovers' Maneuver."

"Did you ever perfect it?"

She shook her head. "Certain…issues arose before my partner and I could ever perform it," Merle said, not elaborating any further than that. Yume sensed that it wasn't something she wanted to discuss. "In any case, Yume, you are correct: the ability to see Fool is one of the conditions needed to be able to pull off the Lovers' Maneuver."

"What are the others?" Mikhail inquired, asking the question before Yume had the chance.

"Fool must also judge you worthy of attempting the move, which I assume he has not if you have to ask me so many questions."

"Not yet," Yume admitted with some embarrassment, "but we are determined to prove ourselves to him. We'll train as hard as we can if you agree to help us, Coach Palmer."

"I admire your determination; you are a lot like your sister in that regard. However, training hard is not enough to pull off this move." Merle paused for a moment, as if pondering something, then continued, "Tell me, Yume, can you one hundred percent trust Mikhail with your life?"

The question took them both by surprise.

"What do you mean?" Yume asked.

"I meant exactly what I asked. When you two are on the ice together, do you have complete faith and trust in your partner's abilities to keep you safe while performing dangerous moves?"

Yume glanced over at Mikhail, who wore a guilty look on his face. No doubt he was thinking about the accident, the same as she. The fall had not made her scared of skating, but she would be lying if she denied the fact that a small part of her was afraid it might happen again. It was the nature of the sport; even the best skaters in the world sometimes made mistakes, and the risks were especially prominent in pairs skating.

"I-I do trust him, most of the time," Yume finally answered, hating the small grimace Mikhail made at her words.

"Only 'most of the time'?"

"A couple of days ago, I accidentally overpowered a throw jump that I convinced her to try, and she fell," Mikhail confessed.

"It wasn't a major accident," she said, feeling the need to defend him. "I just experienced a mild concussion, but -"

"But it has shaken your confidence in him," Mr. Palmer said, speaking for the first time since Merle had joined them.

Yume looked down at her sneakers, unable to look at Mikhail, and nodded.

Merle frowned. "If you ever want to perform the Lovers' Maneuver, you must have absolute faith in your partner, both on and off the ice. If you have even the smallest, tiniest hint of doubt, the results could be disastrous, possibly even fatal."

"It is that dangerous?" Mikhail asked, his face going deathly pale.

"Yes, it is. That is why the decision to attempt the Lovers' Maneuver should not be taken lightly. My former partner and I discussed it for several weeks before we finally decided to give it a shot. How long have you two been discussing it?"

"To be truthful… We haven't really discussed it all," Yume said, looking back up. "Once Fool told us we were candidates, I immediately decided it was something I wanted to do."

To Yume's surprise, instead of the lecture she was expecting, Merle chuckled. "I thought so. I also take it that you have only recently become lovers."

Yume's cheeks burned bright red, remembering what had almost happened the day before had Fool not interrupted. "Lovers? Misha and I - we haven't…"

"I didn't mean 'lovers' in that sense of the word, Yume," Merle said, smiling with a bit of amusement at Yume's assumption. "I only meant that you two have only just started having a romantic relationship. Am I right?" They nodded, confirming her suspicion. "At the start of a new relationship, everything seems so new and exciting, and you feel like you can do anything as long as you two are together," Merle continued. "That's no doubt why you didn't hesitate when Fool informed you that you two were candidates to perform the Lovers' Maneuver. However, in order to attempt it, you must first form a different bond, a deeper bond based on more than just friendship and sexual attraction. Only then will you be able to pull off a true Lovers' Maneuver."

"Does that mean you won't train us?"

Merle ran a hand through her graying blonde hair. "You know, I sense something about you two," she said. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that I will someday see you two do the Lovers' Maneuver. Don't you think so, Sam?"

Her husband nodded his agreement. "I sense it, too, Merle. These two just may be able to pull it off, after all."

"In that case, Yume and Mikhail, I expect to see you here on the ice tomorrow, one p.m. sharp. Don't worry, I'll clear things with May. Be prepared to train harder than you ever have before in your life."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hmm, I wonder what the training for the Lovers' Maneuver will be like," Yume said as she and Mikhail walked back to Kaleido Stage. "The way Sora always tells it, the training regimen for the Great Legendary Maneuver and the Angel's Maneuver was really tough, but I doubt we'll be doing the same kind of things she did. Do you have any ideas what it might be like? Misha?"

"Huh, what?" he said. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

Yume turned around to face him and began walking backwards. "Is something wrong? You've been distracted ever since we left the rink."

"Have I?"

"Yes, you have."

"Oh, sorry," he apologized again, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets. "Hey, do you want to go on a date or something?" he asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"A date?"

"Well, we are dating, aren't we?"

"Uh, sure, I guess," she said. Though he never officially asked her to be his girlfriend, she supposed they were a couple now. "What did you have in mind?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Is there anything you want to do?"

"Train for the Lovers' Maneuver!"

"Besides that," he said with a roll of his eyes. "You really are excited about it, aren't you?"

"Of course. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm certain it's going to be amazing." She again turned around, and after a moment of hesitation, linked her arm through his. "Aren't you anxious to begin training?"

"Sure."

Yume frowned. He didn't sound enthused about it at all, which was strange because an incredibly difficult act like the Lovers' Maneuver was just the kind of technical challenge he seemed to love. "Misha, you do want to do it, right? The Lovers' Maneuver?"

Mikhail strolled to a stop, causing Yume to halt as well. "I want to do whatever I can to make you happy," he said after a brief pause, a vague answer that hardly satisfied her.

She let go of her hold on his arm. "That doesn't answer my question."

He let out a low chuckle. "You know, most girls would be over the moon if a guy told them that."

"Well, I'm not most girls."

"No, you're not." Sighing, Mikhail turned his body so that they were face-to-face and placed his hands on her upper arms. "Yume, let's do our best to perfect the Lovers' Maneuver."

"Do you really mean that?" she asked, looking up at him. "You're just not saying that because you think it's what I want to hear?"

He gave her one of his rare smiles. "You know me, I can never resist a challenge," he said before kissing her softly on the lips. "So, dinner? A new Mexican place just opened around here a couple of weeks ago. I heard the food is pretty good, if you want to check it out."

Yume nodded, once again taking a hold of his arm as he led her in the direction of the restaurant. She still suspected he wasn't being entirely truthful about wanting to do the Lovers' Maneuver, but she decided to put it out of her mind for the rest of the night.

"Mexican sounds wonderful!"

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Yume… Earth to Yume, you read me?"

Somebody snapped their fingers in front of Yume's face, breaking her from her memories of her romantic dinner with Mikhail the night before. "Oh, Clarissa, it's you."

"Of course it's me, silly. Where were you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you certainly weren't here with us," Clarissa said from her spot next to Yume, indicating the rest of the group. They were all sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria, eating breakfast. "What's going on with you? You've been acting distracted all morning long."

"I have?"

Zoe, sitting across the table from Yume, nodded. "Yeah, you were totally off in La-La Land."

"Sorry," Yume apologized, taking a bite of her oatmeal. "I just have some stuff on my mind, I guess."

"Like a certain Russian Ice Prince?" Pilar teased, causing Yume to almost choke on her food. "Come on, spill. What is going on with you two, and where did you go yesterday after practice? You didn't even show up for dinner last night."

"I'm rather curious myself," Clarissa admitted. "Where did you go?"

"If you really must know, we went to the Cape Mary Skating Center," Yume said after a short pause. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the total truth, either.

Pilar, for one, looked disappointed by her answer. "Why? If you needed more practice time on the ice, nobody was using the Kaleido Stage's rink last night."

"We met with Coach Wong's former figure skating coach, Merle Palmer."

"Again? Why? Did Coach Wong recommend you work with her?"

"Something like that…"

For some reason, she was reluctant to tell them about the Lovers' Maneuver and her budding romantic relationship with Mikhail. Yume knew it was silly, and the girls were bound to find out the truth sooner or later, but she enjoyed having a secret that was just between her and Mikhail and wasn't ready to divulge it just yet to the other girls.

"Well, I still think something's going on with you and Mikhail, something that you're not telling us," Pilar insisted, pointing her fork in Yume's direction.

Fortunately for Yume, before Pilar could press for any more details, Elizaveta announced that it was time for the skaters to head to practice. Yume was the first one to jump up from her seat and headed straight for the trash can to clear away her tray. She then began heading to the rink without waiting for the others to catch up with her.

On her way there, she saw Mikhail and Sergei chatting together in Russian outside of the mens' restroom, though Mikhail seemed to lose all interest in the conversation the moment she passed them by. Giving Sergei what Yume assumed was a hasty excuse to leave, Mikhail lightly jogged to catch up with her and reached for Yume's elbow.

"Here," he said simply, pulling her into a darkened hallway just off the main one.

"Misha, wha-?"

Pinning her up against the wall, he interrupted her question by covering Yume's lips with his own in a kiss that almost literally made her go weak in the knees. "What was that for?" she asked when they finally pulled apart.

Mikhail smirked. "Just felt like it," he replied, echoing her words from yesterday. "That is okay, right?"

She grinned. "More than okay."

In fact, Yume's arms reached up to wrap around his neck, and she was about to pull him into another kiss when she heard a group of girls' voices coming down the main hall. Although she and Mikhail were mostly hidden from view behind a large potted ficus plant, Yume pulled him closer against her, placing a finger to his lips as a signal for him to keep quiet. Once Pilar and the others had passed them by, she let out a relieved sigh. "Good, I don't think they saw us."

"Not that I'm complaining," Mikhail said, looking down at her, "but mind telling me why we're hiding from your friends?"

"Uh…because I haven't exactly told them about us yet?" Yume said, phrasing it more like a question than an explanation. Her cheeks burned, knowing how ridiculous it sounded. Even she thought it was a stupid excuse.

"Why not?" To Yume's surprise, Mikhail's voice sounded soft, almost wounded. "Are you embarrassed to be dating me?"

"No! No, of course not!" Yume couldn't believe he would even think that. Most girls would love the chance to date somebody as handsome and talented as him. "If anything," she said, looking down at her sneakers, "I'm worried you might be embarrassed to have somebody as ordinary as me as a girlfriend."

"What are you talking about?" Mikhail cupped her chin in his hand, lifting her face back up. "Yume, you are many things, but 'ordinary' is certainly not one of them."

"Compared to Tatiana, I am."

Mikhail's former partner's name slipped from Yume's lips before she could stop it, and she winced, knowing he didn't like talking about his ex-girlfriend. Still, Yume had to admit another reason why she was so reluctant to tell her friends about their relationship was because a tiny part of her was afraid that she might be nothing but a fling to him, and he would soon dump her for somebody more like Tatiana. Though Mikhail had explained why he had said the things he did the day after Clarissa's birthday party when confronted about the kiss on the beach, Yume still couldn't forget his words: _You didn't think I meant anything by kissing you, did you?_ She wanted to trust that he didn't mean what he said and that he wasn't just playing her for a fool, but how could she blindly believe a guy who admitted he had lied to her? What was the truth, and what was a lie?

"Yume -"

Yume shook her head, again pressing a finger against his lips to silence him. "Don't try to placate me. I'm nothing like Tatiana. I'm not as beautiful as her, as glamorous as her, as experienced as her, as talented as her when it comes to skating pairs. I know I shouldn't compare myself to her, but I can't help it. Ever since you told me you had feelings for me, at the back of my mind I've wondered, 'Why me? Why did he pick me when he could have his pick of beautiful women?'"

"You want to know why I fell for you?"

She nodded.

"I fell for you because you're nothing like Tania," Mikhail said, staring her straight in the eye. "I fell for you because you are you. It is as simple as that."

"B-But -"

"And, for the record, I happen to think you are just as beautiful and talented as Tania, if not even more so," he continued, pressing the palms of his hands against her cheeks. "You're warm, Yume. There's a fire inside of you, a passion that seems to light up the room whenever you walk in. It draws people to you, like the proverbial moths to a flame. It's one of the things I like most about you." For the first time since she met him, Mikhail blushed in her presence, and, releasing his hold on her face, he turned and lightly coughed into his fist. "Anyway, we should probably start heading toward the rink," he said, changing the subject as he looked around the corner. "Coach will be angry if we're late. Would you like me to go ahead of you in case we run into any more of your friends?"

Shaking her head, Yume smiled and came up beside him, taking his hand in hers. "No, let's go together," she said.

Mikhail looked over at her, giving her hand a light squeeze. "You sure?"

In response, Yume kissed him in plain view, no longer caring who saw them together. The two of them then walked together hand-in-hand to the rink where practice was being held.

There was no big grand announcement, but everybody knew on sight from the moment they arrived:

Yume Naegino and Mikhail Vladimirov were officially a couple, on and off the ice.


	24. Getting Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: "Kaleido Star" doesn't belong to me.

Their first training session for the Lovers' Maneuver was at one o'clock. As promised, Merle cleared it with May so that Yume and Mikhail were excused from afternoon practices at Kaleido Stage. May wasn't exactly happy about them missing rehearsals, especially when the show was set to open in a matter of weeks, but Mia, Yuri, and Kalos were more than supportive of their decision to attempt the dangerous maneuver. In fact, Mia thought the Lovers' Maneuver would make a great climax for _Fire and Ice_ and had already begun thinking of ways to rework the choreography in order to incorporate it.

Sora, who had dropped by Kaleido Stage to watch their morning rehearsal, was also thrilled when she heard the news. "That's amazing, Yume!" she said, giving her sister a hug after practice. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks," Yume said. "I just hope we can complete the training before opening night." Mia's decision to put the act in the show put more pressure on them, but she intended to do her best to rise up to the challenge.

"I'm sure it will be difficult road, but I know you have it in you to succeed. You are my sister, after all!"

Over by the door, Yume noticed Mikhail glancing down at his watch. "Sorry, Sora, but I think Misha's trying to tell me it's time to leave," she said, gathering her duffel bag and tossing it over her shoulder. "Our first training session is today."

"Oh, sure, don't let me keep you. You're training with Merle, right? Tell her I said 'hello'."

"I will."

"And tell your boyfriend that he should come by our house for dinner some time. We'd love to get to know him better."

"You know?" Yume blushed, still not quite used to thinking Mikhail as a "boyfriend" yet. She hadn't even mentioned that fact to Sora yet, although she supposed the rumors had made their way through Kaleido Stage.

"Well, it _is_ called the 'Lovers' Maneuver', isn't it?" her sister pointed out. "Besides, I was watching you during rehearsal, and during that love scene between Seraphina and Frost, you two were definitely not acting," she added, causing Yume to burn an even brighter red. "May is very pleased. She said you finally managed to bring out the passion in Mikhail that she always knew he had inside him."

"I didn't really do much," Yume said modestly. "He found that passion on his own."

"But because of you, right?"

"I really have to go, Sora. See you later!"

"Bye, and don't forget about the dinner!"

Leaving Sora behind, Yume met up with Mikhail, who immediately moved to take her bag. "You don't have to," she said. "I can carry it. It's not that heavy."

"I don't mind," he said, taking it from her anyway. Frowning, he asked, "You don't have a fever, do you?"

She gave him a quizzical look. "No, why do you ask?"

"Your face is as red as a beet."

"Oh, it's nothing. Come on, we're going to be late if we don't hurry."

When they arrived at the skating center, Merle's husband was working as usual behind the rental booth. He asked one of the other employees to take over for him upon spotting Yume and Mikhail, then walked over to join them.

"Right on time, kids. Come on, I'll take you to see Merle," Sam said, taking the lead.

As they made their way through the complex, Yume decided to ask Sam the question she had been wondering about since they day before. "Um, Mr. Palmer?"

Sam glanced back over his shoulder. "No need to be so formal. Feel free to call me Sam. Everybody else does."

"Okay…Sam," she said, feeling a bit awkward referring to an elder by first name. "I was just wondering why you and Coach Palmer never performed the Lovers' Maneuver."

"Oh, I was never a candidate," he said, surprising Yume. Since they were married, she had just assumed Sam was Merle's partner. "I'm not even a figure skater. Back in the day, I was a hockey player. A pretty darn good one, too, if I do say so myself. Sure, I was no Wayne Gretzky, but I was pretty famous there for a while. Guess you never heard of me, eh?"

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know much about hockey. It's not very popular in Japan," she admitted.

Sam chuckled good-naturedly, taking no offense at her ignorance. "No need to apologize. That was a few years before your time, anyway."

"So you weren't Coach Palmer's partner for the Lovers' Maneuver?"

"No, I didn't meet her until a few years later. Quite a meeting that was, too! She called me a no-talent hockey brute; I thought she was a snobby ice princess. A month later, she was my girlfriend. Funny how things work out sometimes."

"Who was her partner, then? What happened to him?" Yume asked, even more curious than before.

"If you really want to know what happened, I suggest you ask Merle yourself. It's not my story to tell," he said, stopping in front of a door. "Well, here we are. Yume, you'll be in here with Merle. I'll be working with Mikhail."

"Wait, we're not training together?" Mikhail asked before Yume got the chance.

"No, the training regimen is different for each partner, so we'll be working with you separately. Don't worry; even though I'm not a figure skater, I'm not totally clueless about the sport. Living with Merle for thirty-something years, you pick up a thing or two. She's filled me in about how the training should go."

"I guess I'll see you later, then," Mikhail said, kissing Yume on the cheek.

"Yeah," she sighed, unable to hide her disappointment. She had been looking forward to them training for the Lovers' Maneuver together. "See you later. Good luck!"

"You, too."

After Mikhail and Sam left, Yume turned around and lightly knocked on the door. "Coach Palmer?"

The door was unlocked. Pushing it open, she popped her head inside the room, surprised to see it was a small gym. Merle, spotting her, waved her in. "Come in, come in," she said. "You can just drop your skates by the door. By the way, in the future, you don't need to bring those with you. We won't be doing any skating during this training."

"We won't?" Yume asked, confused as she set her skate bag down on the floor. The Lovers' Maneuver was supposed to be a figure skating act, wasn't it?

Merle laughed. "I was surprised, too, when I first started training. Are you warmed up?"

"Yeah."

"Good." She placed her hands on her hips as Yume walked over to join her. "First things first: I don't want you to tell Mikhail anything about what happens during these practices. Sam should be telling Mikhail the same thing right about now."

Yume cocked her head to the side. "Why not?"

"It's important that you two don't figure out what the Lovers' Maneuver is until Fool judges you worthy of performing it. Otherwise, you may be tempted to try it before you are ready, and if you do, you will certainly fail. So promise me that whatever happens in this room remains just between us."

"I promise. I won't say a word."

"Okay, then let's begin. For today, I want you to do sit-ups."

"Sit-ups?" Out of all the training exercises Yume had envisioned since Merle agreed to train them, doing sit-ups certainly wasn't one of them.

"It's important for you to have a strong core," Merle explained. "Your basic core strength is decent, but if you want to perform the Lovers' Maneuver, it'll needs to be improved. As a bonus, it'll probably help with your jumps as well."

Yume supposed that made sense, although sit-ups still seemed a bit of a letdown when she had prepared herself for something more brutal, like the things Sora had done to train for the Legendary Maneuver. She lay down on a mat Merle had already placed on the floor, her knees bent with feet on the ground, and asked, "How many do you want me to do?"

"Oh…" The coach glanced down at her wristwatch. "Just keep going until I tell you to stop."

Yume started out by keeping track of how many she had done, but upon reaching the mid-700s, she lost track and decided to stop. Merle didn't seem to be paying attention to the count anyway, only occasionally looking at her watch to check the time.

"Pick up the pace, Yume," Merle ordered when she noticed Yume begin to slack off a little. "You shouldn't be tired yet!"

That was easy for her to say! Yume wondered how much time had passed since she first started. She must have done at least two or three thousand sit-ups by now, but Merle showed no signs of letting her stop any time soon, much less take a break. Still, she didn't complain. It was only the first day of training; if she couldn't even make it through something like this, she would never be worthy of performing the Lovers' Maneuver.

Finally, when Yume had reached the point when she thought she could physically do no more, Merle gave her the signal to stop. "That's it for today. Good job."

Yume sighed in relief and fell back on the mat, her chest rising and falling as she attempted to catch her breath. Her sweat-drenched shirt clung to her torso like a second skin.

"Here," Merle said, handing Yume a towel and a bottle of ice-cold water. "Drink up."

"Thanks." Yume sat back up and twisted off the cap, gulping down the water like a man who had found an oasis in the desert.

"After you're finished with that, do some cool-down exercises, then feel free to take a shower if you want. There are some showers in the locker room down the hall."

"That sounds great," Yume said, using the towel to wipe away some of the excess sweat, "but I didn't bring a change of clothes."

"I'll get you some things from our shop. What size do you need?"

Yume told Merle what size she wore, and when she finished with her cool-down, the coach had returned with a T-shirt and shorts. "See you tomorrow, same time, same place," Merle said.

After the coach left, Yume remembered that she had meant to ask Merle about what had happened with her partner that prevented them from performing the Lovers' Maneuver. She had been so focused on her training, she completely forgot about it. "Oh, well," Yume said with a shrug. "It's probably none of my business anyway."

She grabbed her skate bag and the clothes Merle gave her and headed down the hall to the locker room. When she entered, she heard running water coming from one of the shower stalls, but other than the woman inside, she was the only one there. Yume found an empty locker, stuffed her bag inside, then started stripping out of her sweaty clothes, wrinkling her nose when she caught a whiff of the stench.

"Yeah, I definitely need a shower," Yume muttered, tossing the stinky shirt aside.

While she was pulling off her sports bra, the person inside the stall turned off the water, ending their shower. Yume didn't pay any attention to her until…

"Yume?"

Yume froze. She knew that voice - that very _masculine_ voice. There was no mistaking the Russian accent, but just to be sure, she glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a dripping-wet Mikhail stepping out of the shower, completely nude. Just as quickly, she whipped her head back around, her cheeks on fire.

"M-Misha, what are you doing in here?" she asked, covering her breasts with her arm even though she had her back turned to him.

"I think I should be asking you that question."

"I just came to take a shower."

"In the men's locker room?"

"Th-Th-The… You mean, this is the men's locker room?"

"Didn't you notice the sign on the door? The women's locker room is across the hall."

Yume felt like an idiot. She hadn't been paying attention at all. Since Merle had said the locker room was just "down the hall", she assumed it was on the same side of the corridor as the practice gym and walked in with only a cursory glance at the sign.

"Or maybe you came in here on purpose?"

Mikhail had moved closer toward her. She sensed him standing right behind her and felt his breath blowing against the back of her exposed neck. Yume let out a small gasp, but she didn't move away, frozen in place.

"May I touch you, Yume?" he asked in a low, tender voice.

She found herself nodding, a pleasant shiver shooting up her spine when Mikhail lightly ran his fingers up her bare arms. Her pulse quickened, and it became difficult to breathe properly. His freshly-showered scent surrounded her, smelling of spice and soap.

"May I kiss you?"

Again, she nodded, inhaling sharply when his lips brushed against her left shoulder. His butterfly kisses continued across her shoulder blade and up her neck until he reached her earlobe. At that point, she turned her head toward him, silently begging him to kiss her on the mouth.

Mikhail was just about to oblige when Yume, realizing what his ultimate intention must be, whipped her head back around. "Wait, no," she said, grabbing her discarded T-shirt and pulling it back over her head. She didn't notice - or care - that she had put it on inside-out.

He stepped back. "Something wrong, Yume?"

"N-No, nothing," she lied. "I'm just all sweaty and stinky and gross… I really should go take a shower. Uh, alone," she added before he could suggest taking one together.

"Oh. Then I'll wait for you outside," he said. "Meet you at the bench when you're done?"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

After gathering her things, Yume ran out of men's locker room as fast as she could.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yume felt better after her shower, no longer as flustered as she was before. In fact, the whole situation was rather funny when she thought back on it. She couldn't believe she had made such a stupid mistake! If Pilar and the others heard about what happened, they would laugh their heads off.

Not that she had any intention of telling them.

And _especially_ not Pilar.

Heading outside, she found Mikhail exactly where he said he would be, dozing on a bench near the entrance of the skating center. His training session with Sam must have been just as tiring as hers. Yume walked over to wake him, but paused upon feeling a nervous, fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach.

 _I'm being silly_ , she thought. _What almost happened was no big deal, right?_

Except maybe it was. After all, she knew he wasn't a virgin. He'd slept with Tatiana, and maybe even a few other girls she didn't know about. And now that they were dating…

Yume jumped, startled from her train of thought when Mikhail stirred back awake. "Yume?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, sorry, I guess I fell asleep. Have you been waiting long?"

"No, not at all," she said in a forced, cheerful voice. "I just came out a minute ago. Training must have been rough, huh?"

"It wasn't too bad." He stood up and wordlessly took her skate bag. "I expected worse."

"What did you have to do?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you."

"Oh, right." She had forgotten about the promise she had made to Merle. "Well, I guess we should start heading back."

"Yeah."

They started walking back to Kaleido Stage, neither saying much of anything. Yume wondered if Mikhail was disappointed about what almost happened in the locker room. Well, obviously, he would be. _She_ was disappointed, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to do it yet!

"Something wrong?" he asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I just…" He shook his head. "Never mind. Want to go out for an early dinner before we head back?"

"I'm not really hungry right now," Yume lied. In truth, after her training with Merle, she was starving, but she wasn't in the mood to go on a date when she was feeling so self-conscious.

"Oh, yeah, me, neither."

Talking about dinner reminded Yume of the conversation she had earlier with Sora. "Um, my sister wants you to come over for dinner sometime, by the way."

"When?"

Yume shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever works for you would be fine, I guess. She didn't say."

"Pick a date, and I'll be there."

"Really?"

"You sound surprised."

"No, I just…" She blushed and mumbled, "Never mind."

Mikhail smiled, reaching for Yume's hand, and she began to relax for the first time since they left the rink. Maybe she was just reading too much into things. He wasn't behaving much differently than usual; she was the one acting all nervous and awkward. If he didn't know she was a virgin before, he certainly knew it now.

Yume couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with him like that, however. She had to admit, she liked what she saw during that brief glimpse of Mikhail stepping out of the shower. _Really_ liked. A private smile danced on her lips as she remembered that moment, and her body tingled at the memory of his lips on her naked skin…

"Yume?"

"Huh?" Broken from her less-than-innocent thoughts, she realized that they had arrived back at the dormitories without her even noticing. "Oh, we're here."

"Are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Mikhail asked. "You've been acting strange."

"I'm fine," she insisted with a nervous giggle. "I was just thinking about…things."

"What kind of things? The Lovers' Maneuver?"

"Uh, yeah, that," Yume said, mortified by the thought of telling him what she had been really thinking about. "I can't wait to find out what it actually is. Coach Palmer didn't give me any clues at all."

"We'll just have to wait until that Fool judges us worthy to find out."

"I suppose so…"

But she still didn't understand what they had to do to prove that they were worthy enough to perform the Lovers' Maneuver. Merle had mentioned something about them needing to form a "deeper" bond, but Yume had no idea what that even meant. Would making love give them that necessary deeper bond? That _was_ what lovers usually did…

"Well, anyway, I think I'm going to take a short nap before dinner," he said, chastely kissing her on the cheek. "See you later."

"Wait." As he moved to hand her back her bag, Yume grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, stopping him. "Um, you can come up to my room if you want," she said quickly before she could change her mind.

"Really?"

"If you want." Feeling silly for repeating that, she let go of the grip on his sleeve and brushed a strand of her still-damp hair behind her ear. "So, do you want to?"

Mikhail frowned - not exactly the reaction she expected. "Yume, you don't have to force -"

"I'm not."

"Are you sure?"

Instead of answering, Yume pulled him back toward her and gave him a long, passionate kiss on the lips. Mikhail, though taken by surprise at first, soon responded in equal measure, dropping their bags on the floor in order to properly embrace her. He pressed one hand against the small of her back, while the other cradled her neck, his tongue swirling around inside her mouth with practiced ease. Yume moaned, yearning for more as she pressed her body against his.

"So, your room or mine?" she asked when they finally broke apart. She looked him straight in the eye, determined not to lose her nerve.

"Yours."

The decision made, Mikhail scooped up their bags from the floor and Yume took him by the hand, leading him upstairs to her dorm room. Her heart was pounding like a jackhammer against her ribcage, reminding her of when she took the ice for her free program at All-Japan.

They were almost at her room when the door next door opened and Pilar and Clarissa walked out. "Oh, hey, Yume, Mikhail," Clarissa said. "Did you just come back from your special training?"

"Y-Yeah," Yume said, flustered by their sudden appearance.

"Well, we were just on our way down to the cafeteria. Want to join us?

Beside Clarissa, Pilar smirked at the sight of Yume and Mikhail still holding hands. "I have a feeling these two have other plans in mind, Clarissa. Am I right?"

Yume blushed and dropped Mikhail's hand like a hot potato.

"I was just walking Yume back to her room," Mikhail lied, picking up on her embarrassment.

Pilar cocked an eyebrow, not buying the story at all. "Really? What a gentleman. Rare these days."

Ignoring her, Mikhail handed Yume her skate bag. "Here, go eat with your friends."

"Are you sure?" Yume asked him in a low voice. "You don't have to go…"

"There's no rush." In a louder voice, he said, "See you girls later," before heading back downstairs.

Sighing, Yume watched his back until he was out of sight, then unlocked her door. "I'll just put this in my room," she told the other two, referring to her bag, "then we'll go eat."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sorry, Yume. I have a feeling we interrupted something," Clarissa apologized a few minutes later as they headed down to the cafeteria for dinner.

"No, it's fine, really," Yume insisted. Though disappointed, a small part of her was actually relieved.

Elizaveta, who had join the group along the way, asked, "What are you talking about? What did you interrupt?"

Pilar grinned. "Yume and Mikhail. They were about to get their freak on until we ran into them in the hallway."

"'Get their freak on?'" She tilted her head to the side, obviously unfamiliar with the American slang. "What does that mean?"

Yume was wondering that herself, although she had a pretty good idea what Pilar meant without having to ask.

And she was right, much to her mortification.

"You know, getting lucky? Bumping uglies? Hitting a home run? Making the beast with two backs?"

Elizaveta, however, still didn't seem to get it, so Pilar continued going through a long list of euphemisms and double entendres - including some in Spanish that nobody but she had a hope of understanding - until Clarissa took pity and cut in. "Just use plain English, Pilar. You're confusing the poor girl even more."

"Aw, you're taking all the fun out of it, but if you insist…" Pilar sighed, resting a hand on Elizaveta's shoulder. "Liza, listen up, 'cause these are the facts of life. You see, when two people like each other very much, they sometimes like to get together and fu-"

Clarissa slapped a hand over Pilar's mouth, censoring the final word. "No need to be crude."

"Hey, you were the one who told me to speak plain English," Pilar pointed out, pulling the hand away. "So, do you get it now, Liza?"

"Um, yes, I think I understand…"

"Good." Turning her attention back to Yume, Pilar threw an arm around her shoulders and lowered her voice to a loud, conspiratorial whisper. "So, anyway, just between us girlfriends, how is he?

"Excuse me?" Yume blinked, not quite sure how to interpret the question. What was she talking about now?

"You know…"

Honestly, she didn't, and judging by the confused look that had returned to Elizaveta's face, neither did she. Clarissa just looked exasperated. "If you're asking if he's a nice boyfriend, then, yes, he is," Yume told Pilar, who rolled her eyes.

"Geez, you really are inexperienced when it come to this sort of thing, aren't you? What I meant is, how is he in bed?" she clarified. "A guy that hot has got to be wild in the sack, right? Come on, let me live vicariously! Do you know how long it's been?"

Yume's cheeks flushed a flaming red when the meaning of Pilar's question became clear.

Clarissa smacked herself in the forehead. "Pilar, I can't believe you asked that. Well, to be honest, I can, but, seriously, that is none of your business!" she admonished, taking the words right out of Yume's mouth.

"Actually, he's supposed to be quite wonderful as a lover," a soft voice said, the three girls turning their attention to a blushing Elizaveta, the least expected of the group to say such a thing. "I-I mean…uh…"

"How do you know this, Liza?" Pilar asked, a touch of suspicion in her voice.

Elizaveta waved her hands in front of her, turning redder by the moment. "It's not what you're thinking. Yume and I - We overheard them talking, and she said…um…"

"Who said?"

Noticing how flustered Elizaveta had become, Yume came to her rescue. "Tatiana Pekrovskaya. That time we eavesdropped on Mikhail and his ex… Well, the subject kind of came up."

"Ah." That answer seemed to satisfy Pilar, though she immediately returned to the original topic. "In that case, did he live up to expectations?"

"I wouldn't know," Yume said, mustering up as much dignity as she could under such an embarrassing interrogation. Mentally, she added with a touch of bitterness, _You interrupted us before I could find out!_

"So you haven't…?"

"No. Not yet."

"Well, I guess it is a bit soon," Pilar said, rubbing her chin. "You just started dating a few days ago, after all."

"That's right," Yume replied, remembering Mikhail's words just before he left. "There's no rush."

"But he _is_ a man…"

"That doesn't matter," Clarissa said. "If Yume's not ready, then she's not ready. Besides, not all guys are like that." Turning to Yume, she added, "If he does try anything, don't let him pressure you into doing anything you don't want to do, okay?"

"I won't," Yume said, grateful when Elizaveta brought up a new subject soon after.

But how did you know when you were ready?


	25. Sister, Sister

Yume's training sessions with Merle were going well. She still had no idea what the Lovers' Maneuver was, but she noticed that she was becoming physically stronger with every passing day. Her jumps were improving as a result, so much so that she and Mikhail were able to add the throw triple axel to their arsenal, putting behind them the awful memory of Yume's fall when they had first attempted the jump.

Still, Fool refused to judge them worthy enough to perform the Lovers' Maneuver.

It didn't help matters that Mikhail seemed to be holding her at arm's length ever since what happened - or rather, almost happened - on their first day of training. He only ever kissed her on the cheek, and whenever Yume invited him up to her dorm room after practice, he always had somewhere else to be.

"I'd love to, Yume, but Mia wants to talk to me about some changes she's thinking about making in one of my solo numbers. We didn't get a chance to discuss it this morning during rehearsal, so she asked me to come by when we got back from the rink," Mikhail said in response to her latest invitation. "Maybe some other time."

"Yeah, some other time," Yume said as he gave her yet another chaste kiss good-bye.

Watching him leave, she let out a heavy sigh. They were supposed to be deepening their bond as lovers, but Mikhail was treating her more like a friend, and she didn't understand it at all. Didn't he _want_ to pick up where they had left off before Clarissa and Pilar had interrupted them that night?

"Trouble in paradise?"

Yume jumped, started by the sound of Fool's voice. "Oh, it's just you, Peeping Tom," she said coolly. Since kicking the perverted Spirit of the Stage out of her room after learning that Mikhail could also see him, she hadn't seen him much, although she had caught him hiding in her bathroom the previous night.

"Are you still mad about that?" he asked. "I told you, I thought I was in was _Mikhail's_ bathroom. It was just an innocent, harmless mistake!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you in the habit of peeking in men's showers as well? I didn't think you swung that way."

"I-I don't! I…uh…I just…"

"Oh, I don't care. Just be quiet and come with me," Yume muttered out of the side of her mouth when she noticed the dorm manager Marion approaching. She had been meaning to talk to Fool about something, but she certainly wasn't about to do it in public and have everyone think she was a lunatic for talking to an imaginary person.

"Oh, hey, Yume," Marion said, waving as she passed them by. "Great job today during rehearsal."

"Thanks."

Grateful that Marion didn't stop her to chat, Yume headed back to her dorm room with an obediently silent Fool in tow. She didn't say anything more to him until they were inside and the door was safely locked behind her. It would be just her luck for Pilar or one of the others to come bursting in at the worst possible moment.

"This must be serious," Fool said. "What's on your mind?"

"It's Misha," Yume admitted, plopping down on her bed. "He's been acting strange lately."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to really explain it. Not exactly cold, but… distant, maybe?"

"Isn't that how he always acts?" Fool asked. "He isn't exactly the warm and cuddly type."

"I know, but…" She sighed, finding it difficult to find the right words to describe it. "Have you noticed anything? Has he said anything to you?"

"Not likely. He ignores me most of the time, to be honest," Fool said. "Which reminds me, are you sure I can't stay here with you? It's a bore staying with him all the time. He doesn't even have any good Russian porn laying around!"

Yume gave him a look. "Let's keep to the subject at hand, Fool."

"Fine, but if Mikhail's having problems, he hasn't mentioned them to me. Maybe you're just imagining things."

"Maybe…"

But she didn't think so. Laying back on the bed, Yume tried to think of a reason for Mikhail's lack of strong affection, but nothing came to mind other than the one thing she didn't want to consider: that perhaps Mikhail had grown bored of her and was only staying with her out of obligation because they were supposed to perform the Lovers' Maneuver together.

"Are you _certain_ he hasn't said anything to you?" she asked Fool again, crushing a pillow to her chest. "He hasn't complained about me or mentioned wanting to break-up? Anything like that at all?"

"No."

"What about other women? Has Tatiana been calling him? Or any other girls?"

"No - Well, wait, there was one," Fool said, rubbing his chin.

Yume bolted back up, her heart pounding. "Who?" she demanded to know.

"His sister, Katia. She called last weekend."

"Fool!" She threw the pillow at him, missing him only by inches as he flew out of the way of danger. "Don't scare me like that."

"I only answered the question. No need to get violent."

"Well, if he's not cheating and he doesn't want to break up, then why does he keep treating me more like a sister than a girlfriend?"

"I don't know, but here's an idea," Fool said, crossing his arms. "Why don't you just ask the guy and leave me out of it? I'm not your personal spy."

"I think I will," Yume decided, jumping back up.

* * *

Fool was right - for once. If she wanted to know what the problem was, it was better to confront Mikhail directly than sit around worrying about it. Unfortunately, when she knocked on his door a few minutes later, there was no answer. "I guess he really did have to meet with Mia after all," she said with a frown.

At that moment, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the Caller ID, all thoughts of Mikhail temporarily pushed aside when she saw Sora's name on the display.

"Is the baby coming?" Yume asked excitedly, not even bothering with a proper greeting. Since Sora's due date was fast approaching, she had promised Yume she would call whenever the time came.

Sora laughed. "No, not yet," she said. "This little one is staying put for now. Actually, I was calling to see if you had a chance to invite Mikhail over for dinner yet. I was thinking tomorrow would be a good night."

"Oh, right, dinner." She had nearly forgotten about Sora's invitation. "Um, about that…"

"If you're too busy at the moment, I understand," Sora said. "I know you two are training hard for the Lovers' Maneuver."

"It's not that. I asked Misha, and he accepted, but…"

But Yume wondered if he still wanted to go, considering his attitude toward her as of late.

"You don't want us to meet him? I promise, we'll be on our best behavior."

"It's not that either." Out of the corner of her eye, Yume saw Mikhail walking back to his dorm room and knew that she needed to wrap things up. "Look, Sora, can I call you back later?" she asked. "I'll check with Misha and see if he's free tomorrow night."

"Of course. Talk to you later."

"Yeah, bye."

She ended the call just seconds before Mikhail reached the door to his room. "Yume?"

"Oh, hey," she said, trying her best to sound casual even though her mouth had suddenly gone as dry as a desert. "How was your meeting with Mia?"

"It went fine," he said, digging his key out of his pocket and using it to unlock the door. "She decided she liked the original choreography best after all, so we didn't change a thing."

"Oh."

Even though he didn't invite her in, Yume followed him inside. His living room was as messy as she remembered the first time she had visited, a fact that seemed to embarrass the normally unflappable Mikhail. He began going around the room, picking up his dirty clothes and socks.

"Uh, sorry, I wasn't expecting guests," he said, tossing the clothes into his bedroom. Though he closed the door behind him, the quick glance she got inside revealed it wasn't in much better shape than the living room. "With all the training we've been doing lately, I haven't had much time to clean."

"It's okay," Yume said, faintly amused. She was beginning to think Mikhail was just a natural-born slob - ironic, considering his perfectionist nature on the ice.

"So, why are you here? Is something wrong?" After clearing the couch of some miscellaneous junk, he sat down and patted the cushion beside him. "Come, sit down."

Yet Yume remained standing in the middle of the room, frozen in place. She had so many questions, but faced with finally confronting him, she didn't know where to begin.

"Yume?"

"I, uh… My sister called," she said, feeling the need to say _something_. "She wanted to know if we were free for dinner tomorrow night."

"I don't have anything planned," he said. "That sounds fine to me, unless you have other plans."

"N-No, I'm free, too." She inwardly sighed, relieved to hear that he still wanted to go. "I'll let her know to expect us."

She turned to leave, but Mikhail stood back up and reached for her arm, stopping her. "Wait, is that all? You don't have to go so soon."

Yume glanced back at him. "You want me to stay?"

"If you want to," he said, releasing his hold on her arm and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "But if you have something else to do…"

"No, not at all!" She pivoted back around. "So you do still like me?"

"Of course I do." Mikhail gave her a quizzical look. "What kind of question is that?"

"Well, lately…" Yume shook her head, deciding it didn't matter. Obviously, she had been reading too much into things, just as Fool said. "Never mind. It's not important."

But Mikhail wasn't going to leave it at that. "Yume, what is it? You didn't come just to ask me about your sister's dinner party. Something is bothering you."

"I-It's nothing," she insisted, turning her face away from his. "Silly, really. Honestly, it's not even worth mentioning…"

"Tell me anyway. I want to know why you thought I didn't like you anymore."

"Well, every time I invite you up to my room, you always seem like you have something else to do," she said. "I thought maybe you were trying to avoid me."

"Oh." He didn't deny it.

"So you _were_ avoiding me?"

"No, not you, exactly," Mikhail said after a short pause, running a hand through his hair. It was his turn to evade her questioning gaze. "I was avoiding being alone with you."

She failed to see the distinction between the two. "Why?"

"Because I didn't want to pressure you."

"Pressure me? Into sex?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "You've never done it before, have you?"

"No, but I want to," Yume said boldly, which seemed to take him by surprise. To be honest, she even shocked herself a little by making such a declaration.

"You do?"

"Why do you think I keep inviting you to my room?" Smiling, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pleased when Mikhail, in return, placed his hands on her hips. "I want to be with you, Misha," she said softly, gazing up into his eyes. "I want us to become true lovers, in every meaning of the word."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, and he brought his lips down to hers. His kiss was soft, almost hesitant - like he was asking permission her permission to go further. Yume's mouth opened slightly, allowing his tongue to slip inside, and she pressed her body against his, encouraging him to continue.

One of his hands slid up the back of her T-shirt, moving up her spine until he reached the closure of her bra. After he struggled with it for a few seconds, the fastener split open. The same hand then made its way to the front and cupped one of her small breasts, now free from their confines. Yume gasped when a finger brushed against her nipple, sending a pulse of pleasure through her nerves, and she was certain he felt her heart pounding in anticipation.

Still kissing her, Mikhail began guiding her backwards, in the direction of his bedroom. She barely noticed until her back bumped against the closed door. His hand moved downwards to turn the knob just when they heard somebody knocking at the entrance.

Mikhail glanced over his shoulder, looking as if he wanted to kill whoever was the cause of the unwelcome interruption, but made no move toward the door.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" Yume asked breathlessly.

He turned his attention back toward her and shook his head. "It's probably nobody important. They'll go away if we ignore them."

Opening the bedroom door behind her, the two of them continued where they left off, Yume tripping over some discarded clothes on the floor and falling onto Mikhail's unmade bed. She had pulled him down with her as she fell, and they locked eyes for a long moment, Mikhail propped above her. Yume sensed he was about to lower himself to kiss her when there was another knock on the door. He muttered something rude in Russian under his breath.

"I think you should see what they want, Misha," Yume said, unable to fully concentrate due to the distraction.

With some reluctance, he pushed himself off of her. "Fine," he said. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Stay right here."

He left, shutting the bedroom door behind him. Yume, feeling awkward just laying there, stood back up and walked over to the mirror that hung over a dresser. She frowned at her reflection, reaching up to release her hair from its ponytail. Had she known what was going to happen, she would have taken a few moments to freshen up before coming over. At least she had taken a shower at the rink after her training with Merle.

Finding no brush in sight, she used her fingers to comb through her hair, teasing it to give it some extra volume. She then maneuvered underneath her T-shirt to finish taking off her bra, wondering if she should take the opportunity to strip off the rest of her clothes as well while Mikhail was gone. Blushing, she shook her head and decided to remained clothed until he returned.

Yume sat down on the edge of his mattress, yet jumped back up almost immediately, too full of nervous energy to stay still. She started straightening his room, dumping his dirty clothes into the almost-empty hamper beside the dresser and fluffing the pillows at the head of the bed. It wasn't the most romantic setting for her first time, admittedly, but at least the room looked somewhat cleaner than it did before.

But what was taking Mikhail so long? He said he would only be right back, but a glance at his alarm clock revealed about five minutes had passed since he left the room. It shouldn't take that long to get rid of an unwanted visitor, should it?

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Yume walked over to the door and pressed her ear against it. She could faintly hear Mikhail's voice, but he wasn't speaking English. That meant he had to be talking to either Sergei or Dmitri. She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to sit back down on the bed when she suddenly heard a woman's voice.

Yume froze. Who was she? Tatiana Pekrovskaya?

No, Tatiana had given up hope on ever winning back Mikhail's love. She'd made that perfectly clear before going back to Russia. Besides, the woman's voice was higher pitched and sweeter than Tatiana's. It didn't sound like Elizaveta's voice either.

After taking a deep breath, Yume reached for the knob, and as quietly as she could, opened the door. Through the small crack, she saw Mikhail talking to a brunette whose back was turned toward Yume, hiding her face from view. Mikhail laughed at something the woman said, then pulled her into hearty hug, lifting her feet off the ground and twirling her around in a circle as she let out a high-pitched squeal.

At that point, Yume walked out of the bedroom and made a point of slamming the door closed behind her. Mikhail, spotting her, set the woman back down on the ground and released himself from her embrace.

"Oh, sorry, Yume, I forgot you we-"

Yume crossed her arms over her chest. "What's going on here, Misha?" she demanded to know, interrupting him. "Who is she?"

"So you're the famous Yume?" the woman asked in heavily-accented English, finally turning around. "How wonderful to finally meet you!"

Before Yume had the chance to even comprehend what was happening, the girl bounced over and gave her a hug as well. "Uh… It's nice to meet you, too?" she said, looking at Mikhail over the girl's shoulder for some sort of explanation.

"Yume, I'd like you to meet my little sister, Ekaterina," he said with a slight roll of his eyes.

"Sister?"

Ekaterina pulled away, allowing Yume to properly see her face for the first time. Indeed, she recognized her as the girl in the picture that Mikhail kept at his bedside. She was very pretty, sharing the same striking ice-blue eyes as her brother, and appeared to be about the same age as Yume.

"Please, call me Katia," she insisted, smiling brightly. "I've heard so much about you, Yume." Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, no, I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I knew I should have called first."

"Uh…well…um…" Again, Yume glanced over at Mikhail.

"Katia decided to come for a surprise visit," he explained, answering Yume's unasked question. "She's staying until opening day of the show."

"Yes, it's always been my dream to come to America!" Ekaterina said, performing a graceful pirouette. "And since my school is on summer break, I thought it would be the perfect time to come visit Misha. I want to see _all_ the sights!"

"I already told you, Katia, we're in training for the Lovers' Maneuver. I won't have much time to take you sight-seeing."

"Oh, but I came all this way!" She linked her arm with his, a pout on her rosebud lips. "You won't just ignore me the entire time I'm here, will you? I've missed you so much."

"I missed you, too, but -"

"Um, I think I should be going," Yume interrupted, feeling out of place at the family reunion. It was obvious that they weren't going to be able to finish what they started.

"I'll walk you out," Mikhail said, not objecting to the idea. He released his arm from Ekaterina's grip and escorted Yume outside, his sister calling out, "It was great to meet you, Yume!" before the door closed behind them.

He let out a sigh. "I'm really sorry about all this," he apologized. "I had no idea Katia was planning to come for a visit. She didn't mention anything about it the last time we talked."

"It's okay," Yume said, doing her best to hide her disappointment. "She seems really nice."

"She is. I hope you two will get along."

"I'll try." Brushing her hair behind her ear, she asked, "So, about tomorrow…?"

"Oh, right, your sister's dinner."

"We can do it some other time. I'm sure Sora won't mind."

"No, Katia will be fine by herself for a couple of hours. She can go see a movie or something. I'll ask Sergei to take her."

"Are you sure she won't mind?" Yume got the feeling that Ekaterina wouldn't exactly be thrilled with the idea of her brother dumping her off with someone else for the night.

"Sergei is a good guy. I won't have to worry about her if she's with him, and I think they'll have a great time together."

"That's not exactly what I meant…"

"It'll be fine," he said, kissing Yume tenderly on the forehead. "Tell your sister that we'll be there, and let me deal with mine, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

* * *

After dinner, Yume called Sora back and told her that she and Mikhail would be happy to accept her invitation. She didn't mention anything about Ekaterina, knowing Sora would have probably extended the invite to her as well out of politeness. She had nothing against Mikhail's sister, but Yume didn't really want her tagging along with them tomorrow night.

She then started to strip out of her clothes to take a bath when she notice something - or more precisely, someone - roving around out of the corner of her eye. With a weary sigh, she let go of the hem of her T-shirt, letting it fall back down over her stomach, and turned around to face the Spirit of the Stage.

"What are you doing back here, Fool?" she asked. "I told you earlier, you can't stay here anymore. You're Misha's annoyance now."

"You might want to tell your boyfriend that," he said. "He just kicked me out."

"Why?"

"No reason."

Yume arched an eyebrow, dubious.

"Okay, so _maybe_ he caught me trying to peek in the bathroom when that pretty sister of his was taking a shower," Fool said. "But it was all just a silly misunderstanding. I'm innocent!"

"Uh-huh. Sure." She didn't believe it for a second.

Fool shook his head dejectedly. "Why won't anybody ever believe me?"

"Maybe because you're _never_ innocent?"

"A minor point. Anyway, Mikhail says that as long as his sister is staying with him, I can't, so it looks like we'll be roommates again."

"Oh, goody," Yume deadpanned, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "But, wait, Katia is staying in his room? I thought we weren't allowed to have guests in the dorms."

He shrugged his shoulders. "When he tried to get her a room at the Hamilton Hotel, she insisted on staying with him instead, so he got permission from Marion. Since they're siblings, I guess she didn't mind."

"Oh."

Yume fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Were they ever going to find some uninterrupted alone time? It seemed like every time they were about to take that next big step, something else got in the way. Maybe it was the universe's way of telling her she wasn't ready after all.

But if she and Mikhail weren't really "lovers", would they still be able to perform the Lovers' Maneuver on opening day?

"Hey, don't tell me you're jealous," Fool drawled, looming over her. "She's his sister. It's not like you have anything to worry about."

"No, I'm _not_ jealous," Yume said, sitting back up. "I'm just a little disappointed that Katia interrupted us when were about to -"

"To do what?"

A blush formed over the bridge of her nose. "None of your business." She stood back up and grabbed Fool by the midsection, tossing him into a desk drawer. "I'm going to take a bath," she announced, ignoring his bangs and shouts from inside. "Don't peek, or you're going to find yourself homeless."


	26. Meeting The Family

"Who is that girl, and why is she having breakfast with _your_ boyfriend?" Pilar demanded to know the moment Yume sat down at the table next to Elizaveta. She was turned around her chair, quite blatantly staring at Mikhail and Ekaterina, who were sitting alone at a table in the back of the cafeteria.

Yume rolled her eyes. "Good morning to you, too, Pilar."

"Yeah, yeah, _buenos dias_ , whatever. Now, tell us what's going on. Did you two break up?"

"No, that's his sister, Ekaterina," Yume said, glancing over at their table. She'd briefly thought about joining them, but thought it would be rude without being invited over first. "She's visiting him for the next couple of weeks."

Pilar turned back around. "So you've met her? What's she like?"

She shrugged, pouring milk into her bowl of cereal. "She seems nice enough, I guess. We only talked for a couple of minutes last night, though. I don't really know her."

"Is she a skater, too?" Clarissa asked.

"A ballerina. Misha told me she attends a school connected to the Bolshoi Ballet."

Elizaveta, who until then had seemed only vaguely interested in the topic of conversation, perked up at the mention of the Bolshoi and leaned to the side so she could get a better look at Ekaterina over Clarissa's shoulder.

"Wow, talented siblings," Clarissa said, impressed. "An Olympic gold medalist and a world-class dancer…"

"She's really training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy?" Elizaveta asked in an awed voice. She practically had stars sparkling in her eyes.

Pilar laughed. "Looks like our little Liza has a girl crush," she teased, causing Elizaveta to blush.

"I just think she must be a really wonderful dancer," Elizaveta said. "Some of the most incredible ballerinas in the world have graduated from the school: Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Bessmertnova, Anastasia Nabokina…"

"Okay, we get the point. She's amazing."

"Yume, will you introduce me sometime? I'd love to meet her."

"Um, sure," Yume said. "If I get the chance."

The chance came sooner than Yume expected. When they arrived at the rink for morning practice, Mikhail was already warming up on the ice, his sister watching him at the boards.

"I thought Coach Wong didn't allow spectators at rehearsals," Pilar said upon seeing Ekaterina. "She nearly threw a fit when you invited Hiromasa to watch us."

"She must have gotten per-"

"Oh, hi, Yume!" Ekaterina, spotting them, waved enthusiastically and walked over to join them at the bleachers, where they had sat down to change into their skates. "I'm so excited to see you and Misha finally skate together. Is it really true you can do the triple axel?"

"Yes, but -"

"How wonderful! I can't wait to see it."

Sitting beside her on the bench, Yume felt Elizaveta tugging on her sweatshirt, reminding her of her promise.

"Uh, Katia, I'd like you to meet some of my friends: Pilar, Clarissa, and Elizaveta," Yume said, introducing them. The moment she mentioned Elizaveta's name, the blonde jumped up from her seat and offered her hand to Ekaterina, causing Pilar and Clarissa to hide their giggles behind their hands. "They're skaters in the show. Elizaveta is also a ballet dancer."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Ekaterina said, graciously shaking Elizaveta's hand.

Elizaveta looked as if she was about to faint from excitement, but managed to remain upright. "Um, Yume mentioned that you study at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy."

"Yes, I do. The school is on break at the moment, though, so I decided to come visit Misha."

"That must be incredible! What is it like dancing there?

Out of the corner of her eye, Yume saw Mikhail motioning for her to join him for their warm-up, so she excused herself from the group and stepped onto the ice.

"She seems to be making friends," he remarked, looking pleased.

"Yeah, I guess," Yume said as the two of them began stroking around the ice, hand-in-hand. "So have you talked to Sergei yet about taking her out tonight?"

"Not yet. I haven't had a chance."

She frowned. "You still plan to come to dinner, right? I already told Sora you would."

"Don't worry. I'll be there."

* * *

Ekaterina was practically Mikhail's shadow. Wherever he was, she was sure to be never too far behind. Yume thought she would finally get some alone time with him when it was time for them to go to the Cape Mary Skating Center for their Lovers' Maneuver training, but when they met up after lunch, Ekaterina again tagged along.

"So, what exactly is this Lovers' Maneuver?" Ekaterina asked as the three of them walked to the rink. "Some kind of jump?"

"We don't know," Mikhail admitted. "We haven't been told yet."

"Then how can you train for it?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "We just do whatever we're told."

"It's really not that interesting," Yume said, hoping she might take a hint and find something else to do. She liked Ekaterina well enough, but did she really have to keep following Mikhail around like an excited puppy? "It'll probably be boring to watch."

"Oh, I don't mind! I'm very curious about this training you've been doing."

Yume let out a discreet sigh as Ekaterina turned her attention back to her brother. At least she wouldn't be coming with them to dinner at Sora's. Besides, it wasn't as if she would be able to see Mikhail while they were training anyway.

"I'll see you two later," Yume said when they finally arrived at the rink, leaving them to go meet with Merle in one of the practice rooms. As usual, Mikhail would be training separately on the ice with Sam.

"Wait!"

She glanced back over her shoulder. Much to her surprise, Ekaterina was jogging to catch up with her. "Mind if I watch your session, Yume?" she asked.

"Um, I guess not," Yume said, confused, "but wouldn't you rather watch Misha?"

"I'm more interested in you at the moment. We haven't had much time to really talk, after all. I'd like to get to know you better. You seem different from the girls my brother has dated before."

"Like Tatiana Pekrovskaya?"

Ekaterina pursed her lips into a thin line, and her ice blue eyes seemed to blaze with barely concealed hatred at the mention of Tatiana's name. "That girl broke Misha's heart," she said. "He was completely devoted to her. He was even thinking of proposing to her at the Olympics, but then she –"

Yume stopped in her tracks, feeling as if she had just been punched in the gut. She knew that Mikhail and Tatiana's relationship had been serious, but she never realized it was _that_ serious. "He wanted to marry her?"

"Oh, dear, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that…"

"N-No, it's okay," Yume said, waving her hands in front of herself as she resumed walking. "I was just a little shocked, that's all. He must have really loved her…"

"I suppose, although I'm glad they broke up. To be honest, I never really liked Tatiana, even before she cheated on Misha," Ekaterina admitted. "She wasn't good enough for him. My brother deserves to be with somebody special, someone who can be his true partner in every way. I won't let him settle for less than the best."

Yume frowned. Was it just her imagination, or did that last part sound like a threat? There was nothing overly malicious in the tone of her voice, but Yume definitely got the feeling that Ekaterina was implying that she might not be a good enough partner for Mikhail either.

Shaking her head, she pushed the thought away and opened the door to the practice room where Merle was waiting. Even if Ekaterina had doubts about her, the only person whose opinion really mattered was Mikhail's.

"Ah, Yume, let's -" Turning around, Merle spotted Ekaterina entering the room with Yume. "Well, this is unusual. A friend of yours?"

"This is Ekaterina, Mikhail's sister," Yume said. "Is it okay if she stays? She wants to watch me train."

"Well, I suppose it's alright as long as she promises not to say anything about what we're doing to her brother," Merle said after a short pause. "Now that we've begun the second phase of training, it's more important than ever that he be kept in the dark."

Yume's training had progressed from doing sit-ups to something that seemed a bit more like the things Sora had to do before she could perform the Legendary and Angel's Maneuvers, although she hadn't lied when she told Ekaterina it would be boring to watch. Merle buckled her into the harness, then hoisted her until she was about ten feet off the ground. From there, Yume had to hold her body parallel to the floor for ten minutes without letting the harness sway - a feat that was much more difficult than it looked. To make it even harder, Merle would occasionally raise or lower her without warning, still wanting Yume to keep her position. If she let a leg or an arm drop even a fraction of an inch, she would have to start over again.

"Remember to keep pointing your toes," Merle said at the midway point of her first attempt. "Maintain and hold a beautiful form, even when all your body wants to do is give up. You want it to look effortless, as if you're floating on air."

_Easier said than done,_ Yume thought. She slowly turned her head to the side, careful to keep the rest of her body perfectly aligned, and caught sight of Ekaterina, who was staring up at her, frowning.

"Why is it so important that Misha not know what Yume is doing?" Ekaterina asked. "This training is so strange. Shouldn't they be practicing together?"

"It's much too dangerous," Merle said, pulling on the harness to raise Yume higher.

Distracted by the conversation, however, Yume was unprepared for the sudden lift and broke her position. Merle shook her head and lowered Yume back to the ground, allowing her a short break. Ekaterina grabbed Yume's water bottle and brought it over to her.

"Thanks," Yume said, taking a large swig. "Sorry, you're probably bored out of your mind watching me just hanging from a harness. I told you it wasn't very exciting."

"No, I can tell you're trying your hardest, Yume. It isn't easy to stay in the same position like that, especially in the air. But I still don't understand. What did she mean by 'dangerous'?"

"A lot of skating maneuvers are dangerous. I had a bad fall just a few weeks ago that gave me a concussion."

Ekaterina's eyes widened. "Misha dropped you?"

"Oh, no, not exactly. It was more my fault than his. I messed up on a landing and crashed into the boards."

"Well, I know that skating isn't exactly the safest sport, especially pairs skating," Ekaterina said, "but if this is a maneuver you and Misha are going to perform together, shouldn't you be _practicing_ it together? You don't even know what kind of maneuver it is. Why are you doing this? Is it really worth taking such huge risk?"

Yume didn't get the chance to answer, for Merle called out that her break was over. "It'll be fine, Katia," she said, handing the water bottle back to Ekaterina. "In the end, I'm sure it'll be worth it."

* * *

Dinner at Sora's was supposed to be a casual affair, but Yume still wanted to look nice. After going through her closet and modeling several outfits for Fool - who, of course, was far more interested in what was _under_ the clothes - she decided on a white skirt, a floral-printed sleeveless blouse, and the gold Louboutin sandals she had worn the night of Clarissa's birthday celebration. She had just finished brushing her hair when Mikhail arrived to pick her up.

"Wow, you look amazing," he said when she opened the door.

"Thanks." Flustered, she brushed her hair behind her ear. "So do you."

Mikhail had obviously taken care with his appearance as well, wanting to make a good impression. His blond hair was neatly combed back, and he wore a pair of black slacks with a buttoned-down shirt, tucked in. "I wasn't sure if I should wear a tie or not," he admitted, fiddling with the collar. "I can go back to my room and grab one if you think I need to."

"No, it's just a family dinner, nothing fancy. Actually…" Yume reached up and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, surprised when he let out a soft gasp. It was only then that she realized how intimate a gesture it was and blushed, quickly moving her hands back to her side. "Uh, that's better."

"Thanks," he said softly, staring down at her.

They stayed like that for several moments until Fool, who Yume had forgotten was still there, cleared his throat and asked, "Are you two lovebirds just going to stand there, making googly-eyes at each other all night?"

"No, of course not," she said, regaining her composure. "Are you ready to go, Misha?"

"I'm ready if you are."

Yume exited her dorm, Fool remaining inside, waving good-bye to them. "You two kids have fun."

She turned back around. "You're not coming with us?" She'd assumed he would tag along to see Sora.

"No, not this time. Sometimes it's nice to have an evening all to yourself."

Yume cocked an eyebrow, somehow not believing him. "Really?"

"Y-Yes, really."

Beside her, Mikhail took her arm. "Come on, Yume. If he wants to stay, let him be."

"But aren't you worried about your sister?" she asked, glancing over at him. If she knew Fool - and she knew him pretty well by this point - he wouldn't hesitate to use the opportunity to spy on poor, unsuspecting Ekaterina.

"Katia and Sergei already left for the movies. They won't be back until late."

"Wait, you mean she -"

Yume rolled her eyes and shut the door in Fool's face. "Goodbye, Fool," she called out, ignoring his pleas to take him with them.

Mikhail frowned as they headed downstairs. "I'm sorry for forcing him to stay with you again. It's just that Katia can't see him, so I thought -"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "It's okay. I can deal with Fool," she said. "So, Katia didn't mind you setting her up with Sergei for the night?"

"Well, she wasn't exactly thrilled, but she'll live. I told him to take her to the new Ryan Gosling movie. That'll make her happy." Smirking, he added, "And Sergei, too, I'll bet."

"You two are close, aren't you?" she asked. "You and Katia?"

Mikhail shrugged his shoulders. "After our father left, Mother was always working, so I was responsible for Katia when she wasn't home." He let out a chuckle. "I remember, she used to follow me around all the time when she was little, like a baby duck trailing after her mother. It annoyed me sometimes, but she was just a lonely little kid, looking for attention. We both were, I guess."

Yume thought back to the conversation they had on the beach the night of Clarissa's birthday. "Is that why you became a skater?"

"Yeah. I thought if I became a famous skater one day, my father would come back and we could be a happy family again." After a brief pause, he added, "You know, I don't think I ever admitted that to anybody before."

"Not even Tatiana?" she asked, surprised. Considering what she had learned earlier that day from Ekaterina, she would have expected him to at least have told the person he was planning to spend the rest of his life with.

He shook his head. "No, it was my secret dream. I was afraid if I told somebody, it wouldn't come true."

"Then why are you telling me now?"

"Because it doesn't matter." His voice turned bitter, and he clenched his hand into a fist at his side. "I won the Olympic gold medal, yet my father didn't even send a postcard to congratulate me. He's completely forgotten about us. There's no point in holding onto such a childish dream anymore."

"But -"

"Besides, I have a new dream now," he said, cutting off her protest. His hand relaxed and reached for hers, giving it a light squeeze.

"What is it?"

Smiling, he brought a finger to his lips and winked at her. "It's a secret."

* * *

They arrived at Sora and Ken's house about ten minutes later. It was Ken who answered the door when Yume pushed the doorbell. "Hey, you're right on time. Come in. Welcome," he said, ushering them inside. "Sora and Hana are in the living room, so make yourselves at home. Sorry, but I need to check on something in the kitchen. Dinner should be ready in a couple of minutes."

Ken headed back to the kitchen, leaving Yume to show Mikhail to the living room. There, they found Sora sitting on the couch, rubbing her swollen belly. Hana was laying on the floor, watching a cartoon on TV, but ran over to greet them when they entered the room.

"Aunt Yume, you're here!" Hana shouted, giving her a big hug. Noticing Mikhail, she asked, "Is he your _boyfriend_?"

Yume smiled. "Yes, this is Mikhail."

"And what is your name?" Mikhail asked, bending down so he was eye level with Hana.

"Hana," she answered shyly, twisting side to side. "It's Japanese for 'flower'."

"It's nice to meet you, Hana. That's a very pretty name."

"Thank you."

"I'm glad you two could make it," Sora said from her position on the couch. "Sorry, I would stand up, but it's getting hard to move around lately…"

"That's okay," Yume said. They walked over to the couch. "I don't think you two have officially met, have you? Sora, I'd like you to meet Mikhail Vladimirov."

Mikhail shook the hand Sora offered. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Robbins. I've heard a lot about you."

"Please, no need to be so formal, Mikhail. Call me Sora. It's nice to meet you, too," Sora said, just as Ken rejoined them.

"Dinner is served," he announced.

After Ken helped Sora up from the couch, they all headed to the dining room. Even though Sora said the dinner wasn't going to be anything fancy, it was clear that they had put some effort into making everything look nice. The tablecloth was freshly laundered and pressed, and a fresh bouquet of lilies sat in the middle, serving as a centerpiece.

"Mmm, everything smells delicious!" Yume said, sitting down beside Mikhail.

"I tried my best," Ken said. "I hope you like steak and potatoes, Mikhail."

"Yes, sir, very much. Thank you," Mikhail said, taking a healthy helping of mashed potatoes from the bowl Sora handed him. "I hope you didn't go through too much trouble on my account, though."

"Not at all. Hana helped me, didn't you?"

Across the table, Hana, who still seemed a little shy around Mikhail, nodded and bowed her head.

"Yes, she was a big help today," Sora agreed. "Especially since - Oh!" A mildly pained looked flashed across her face, and she placed a hand on her stomach, alarming Yume.

"Sora?"

"It's fine," Sora said, holding up a hand. "I'm just having a contraction. They started a few hours ago."

That didn't reassure Yume in the least. "The baby's coming?" she asked, standing up. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital then?" She couldn't believe how calm Sora seemed about the whole thing.

Her sister chuckled, motioning for her to sit back down. "There's no reason to panic, Yume. It's probably just a case of Braxton-Hicks. I went through them when I was pregnant with Hana. We already called the doctor, and he said I didn't need to come in until the contractions were about five minutes apart or my water broke."

"If you say so…" Yume said.

"I do. So, how is training going for the Lovers' Maneuver? Do you think you'll be ready to perform it on opening day?"

Yume let Mikhail answer, still watching Sora. She seemed perfectly fine, cheerfully chatting with Mikhail about their training, the Olympics, and his life back in Russia, but every once in a while, Yume caught Sora wincing in pain. Ken noticed it as well, and looked down at his wristwatch each time, keeping close track of how close the contractions were becoming.

"You're very quiet tonight, Yume, and you've barely eaten a thing," Sora commented near the end of dinner. "Are you not feeling well?"

Yume waved her hands in front of herself. "N-No, I'm fine!" she said. To prove it, she took a large bite of her half-eaten steak. "Ken, this really is one of the best steaks I've ever eaten."

"I agree," Mikhail said, setting down his silverware and wiping his mouth on a napkin. His plate was completely empty. "Thank you for such a wonderful dinner."

"Well, it's not over yet," Sora announced, struggling to stand up from her chair despite Ken's protests that he would serve the dessert. "Hana and I made a yummy chocolate pud- OW!"

Gripping the back of her chair, she hunched forward, no longer able to hide how much pain she was in. Ken immediately jumped up and again checked his watch. "That's about five minutes since the last one, Sora," he said. "I think it's time to go to the hospital."

Sora nodded, moving to lean against her husband. "I think so, too," she agreed through gritted teeth.

Hana's eyes went wide, terrified to see her mother in such agony. "Is Mama having the baby?"

"It looks like it, sweetie." Turning to Yume, Ken asked, "Will you go upstairs to our room and grab the suitcase? It should be right beside the door."

"Sure."

Yume ran upstairs as fast as she could, glad to be given something productive to do. The suitcase was exactly where Ken said it would be, already packed and ready to go. She grabbed it and headed back. Ken and Sora were already at the front door, apologizing to Mikhail. Hana stood nearby, wiping away a few tears on her sleeve.

"I'm so sorry about all this, Mikhail," Sora said. She was talking normally again, her contraction passed. "This isn't exactly what we had in mind when we invited you to dinner."

"It's fine, Mrs. Robbins."

"For the last time, I thought I told you to call me Sora," she teased, causing Mikhail to lightly blush at his mistake, which he had been making all evening.

"Oh, right, I forgot. Sorry...Sora."

Joining them, Yume handed the suitcase to Ken. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Actually…would you mind staying here with Hana?" Sora asked, motioning for her to come over. "We'd take her with us, but it's getting close to her bedtime. I don't want her to spend the night at the hospital."

"Sure, no problem. I can stay all night if I need to."

"Thanks, we appreciate it."

"I'll call when there's news to report," Ken said, bending down to talk to Hana. "Now, you be good for Aunt Yume, okay? Don't give her any trouble."

"I-I won't," Hana promised. No longer crying, she put on a brave face. "I'll be a good big sister."

Ken gave her a hug. "I know you will."

After they finished saying their goodbyes, Ken helped Sora into the car and drove off for the hospital, Yume and Hana watching it until it was out of sight.

"Mama and the baby are going to be okay, right?" Hana asked in a soft voice as Yume led her back inside.

"Of course," she said cheerfully, hoping it wasn't a lie. "Now, how about some of that chocolate pudding you and Mama made?"

* * *

After dessert, Yume put Hana to bed, which was no easy task. Her worry had turned into excitement when Ken called shortly after eight to inform them that Sora had been checked into the hospital and everything was going smoothly so far. Hana even got the chance to talk to Sora for a couple of minutes and was glad to hear that her mother was no longer in pain thanks to the "magic medicine" the doctors gave her. In the end, to get Hana to go to sleep, Yume had to promise to wake her back up the second Ken called back with news that the baby had been born.

Heading back downstairs, Yume was surprised to see the dining room table had already been cleared away. She went to the kitchen and found Mikhail at the sink, washing the dishes. "Is she sleeping?" he asked, looking up when she came in.

"Yeah, finally… You're doing the dishes?"

He shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"But you're a guest!" she protested. "You shouldn't have to clean up."

"I wanted to." After drying his hands with a towel, he walked over to her and looped his arms around Yume's waist. "After all, the faster the dishes were done, the sooner I could have you to myself."

"O-Oh, really?" Her cheeks went flush. "And what exactly did you have in mind?"

Instead of answering her, Mikhail turned Yume around to face him and kissed her softly on the lips. "I've been wanting to do that all night," he admitted, caressing her cheek.

"I have, too," she said with a smile, remembering the previous night and longing to pick up where they had left off before Ekaterina's unexpected arrival.

He must have read her mind, for Mikhail kissed her yet again, more passionately than before. Yume melted into his embrace, her mind going blank. Her body was no longer under her control. She unconsciously led him back to the living room and pushed him down on the couch, straddling his lap. He seemed a bit surprised by her aggressiveness, but didn't object to it, his hands moving to rest on her hips as they continued to kiss.

"Misha…" she murmured when his lips left hers, traveling across her jaw line.

Yume gasped as he flicked his tongue over a particularly sensitive area, just behind her earlobe. She heard him whisper a question to her in Russian, but though she couldn't understand the words, there was no mistaking the desire behind them. She nodded, giving him permission, and he rolled her over onto her back, settling between her legs.

The couch was not very comfortable, but Yume's brain barely registered the pain, consumed only with thoughts of Mikhail. Her fingers struggled with the tiny buttons of his shirt as he ran his hand up one of her legs. When she finally got to the last one, she placed a palm against his bare chest, surprised to feel his heart beating just as fast as hers, perhaps even more so. She looked up at him, and he lightly caressed her cheek.

"Yume," he began, "I lo-"

But before he could finish, a girlish voice began singing, "Aunt Yume and Mikhail, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then -"

The two of them quickly broke apart, Yume yanking down her skirt and smoothing her hair into some semblance of order as she stood up from the couch. "Hana, why aren't you in bed?" she demanded, hoping she didn't sound as flustered as she felt.

"I'm too excited to sleep," the little girl said, bouncing on the balls of her feet from her spot behind the couch. "Did Mama have the baby yet?"

"Your dad hasn't called back yet. It'll probably be a while."

"Like how long?"

"Maybe not until morning," Yume said, gently leading her back in the direction of the stairs, "so good big sisters should go to bed and get some sleep."

"Aw, do I hafta, Aunt Yume?"

"Yes, now scoot. I'll be up there in a few minutes to check on you."

Hana let out a loud sigh and began trudging up the staircase. "Fine…"

Once her niece had disappeared from sight and Yume heard the door to her bedroom shut behind her, she turned back around to face Mikhail, who had managed to rebutton his shirt and tuck it back into his pants. "I'm so sorry about that, Misha. I thought she was asleep."

"It's fine." He stood back up. "I should probably be leaving, anyway."

"So soon?" She had been hoping that after she got Hana back to sleep, they could resume where they had left off. "You don't have to…"

"When your sister asked you to stay and baby-sit, I doubt she meant it to be a two-person job," he pointed out. "Besides, Katia will be home soon, and I'd rather not leave her alone in the dorm with that perverted spirit on the loose."

"I suppose you're right," she said, reluctantly walking him to the door.

Outside on the doorstep, Mikhail kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Thank your sister and brother-in-law for inviting me tonight. I enjoyed meeting them."

"I think they liked you, too."

"I hope so. So, see you tomorrow?"

"I might be a little late, depending on how long I have to watch Hana, but I'll try to be there as soon as I can."

After he left, Yume headed back upstairs to check on Hana. Her niece was sitting up in bed, playing with one of her baby dolls. "I hope the baby is a girl," she announced, looking up when Yume entered the room. Sora and Ken had decided not to learn the sex of the baby beforehand, wanting it to be a surprise. "I want to play dress-up with her and have tea parties with all our stuffed animals."

"What are you going to do if it's a boy?" Yume asked, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress.

Giving it a moment of thought, Hana grinned. "I'll still play dress-up with him and throw tea parties for our toys."

Yume giggled, taking the doll from her hands and setting it on top of the toy chest at the foot of the bed. "Well, it'll be a couple of years before he or she is big enough for you to play with," she reminded her as Hana obediently crawled underneath her covers, allowing Yume to tuck her back in. "A real baby isn't like one of your dolls."

"Yeah, that's what Mama says, too," Hana said. "Hey, Aunt Yume, are you and Mikhail gonna get married and have a baby?"

"W-What?" Her cheeks went flush. "We've only been dating for a few weeks. I think it's a little too soon to be thinking about marriage and babies."

"But you love him, don't you?"

"Love?"

She thought back to what Mikhail was about to say before Hana's interruption. Was that what she felt toward Mikhail? She certainly cared a lot about him, and she liked being with him, but…

"Papa says people kiss to show their love. Since you kissed Mikhail, that means you love him, and people who love each other get married and have babies, right? Just like the song?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, Hana."

"How?"

"You'll understand when you're older."

Hana's bottom lip curled into a pout, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I hate it when grown-ups say that. I'm not a little kid anymore; I'm a big girl!"

Yume couldn't resist laughing at her niece. "Yes, yes, I know, you're a big girl," she said, affectionately petting the top of Hana's blonde head as she stood back up. "Just not quite big enough, I'm afraid."

"Then when will I be big enough?"

"Hmm, when you're about this tall?" Yume held her hand up to around her shoulders, indicating roughly about five feet, give or take a few inches.

Hana, who was just a few inches over three feet, glared at the hand. "That's no fair! It will take me forever to grow that tall."

"Sorry, that's the rule!" she said. "Now, go back to sleep. I'll wake you the moment I hear any news."

"Promise?"

"Promise."


	27. Betrayal

Yume awoke the next morning to the sound of her ring tone blasting at full volume. Groggily, she cracked open one eyelid and felt around the bedside table until her fingers wrapped around her cell phone.

“ _Moshi moshi_ ,” she mumbled, bringing the phone to her ear as she tried in vain to hold back a yawn. She hadn’t fallen asleep until well after midnight, trying to stay up as late as possible in case there was any news. 

“It’s a boy!” a familiar male voice announced, sounding far too chipper for so early in the morning. “You have a new nephew!”

“Ken?” She sat up and tossed her blanket aside, suddenly feeling much more alert. “Sora had the baby?”

“At 6:37 this morning. He’s six pounds, ten ounces, 21 inches long, and absolutely perfect,” he boasted. “We’ve decided to call him Ren.”

“Congratulations!”

“Thanks. Hana wasn’t too much trouble last night, was she?”

“No, not at all,” Yume said, reaching for yesterday‘s clothes, which she had tossed on the floor, and putting them back on. They would have to do for now, since she hadn’t expected to spend the night at Sora’s house. “Can we come visit? I can‘t wait to see him.”

“Of course. Sora’s sleeping at the moment, but feel free to drop by. I’m going to go call Mom, Dad, and Lucy, and…do you think it would be too late to call your parents in Japan? It’s around midnight there, right?”

“I don’t think they would mind. Hana and I will be there as soon as we can. Bye!”

Unable to stop smiling, Yume headed across the hall to Hana’s bedroom and lightly shook her niece’s shoulder. “Time to wake up, Hana-onee-chan.”

“Onee-chan?” Hana looked up at Yume in confusion, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “Why are you ca—“ She gasped, realizing the significance of those words. “Mama had the baby? I’m a big sister?”

“Yes, you have a brand new baby brother named Ren.”

Hana let out a high-pitched shriek that nearly blew out Yume’s eardrums and started jumping up and down on the bed. “I wanna see him! I wanna see him!”

Yume laughed and set Hana down on the floor before she hurt herself. “We’ll go to the hospital after breakfast. Can you get dressed by yourself?”

“I’m a big sister. Of course I can!”

While Hana changed, Yume went downstairs and made them a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. Hana practically inhaled her plate and couldn’t sit still as Yume ate her meal at a fast, but more leisurely, pace. “Come on, come on, come on, Aunt Yume!” she whined, wiggling around in her chair. “You’re sooooo slow!”

“Oh, am I?” Yume quipped, moving her fork in extra-slow-motion.

Hana rolled her eyes. “Aunt Yume…”

“Okay, okay, I’m finished,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin after taking a final bite of her eggs. “Let’s go!”

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Cape Mary General Hospital. One of the first people Yume spotted was Becca’s mother Kate, who was waiting for an elevator to open in the lobby. Yume waved and jogged to catch up with her, Hana trailing right behind.

“Dr. Thomas!”

“Oh, hello, Yume,” the doctor said, smiling. “What are you doing here?”

“Mama had a baby!” Hana announced before Yume even had the chance. “I’m a big sister now!”

“Congratulations! That’s wonderful news.”

“Yes, it is. We came to see him, but I don’t know where the maternity ward is,” Yume admitted.

At that moment, the elevator doors slid opened. Dr. Thomas stepped inside and motioned for them to join her. “It’s on the third floor,” she said, pushing the “3” button as the doors closed behind them. “I’m actually on my way up there to check on the condition of a baby I delivered yesterday, so I’ll take you to the nursery myself.”

“Thanks!”

When they reached the third floor, Dr. Thomas led them to the maternity ward. Along with Ren, there were six other babies in the nursery, all wrapped in identical blue and pink blankets. Hana stood on her tiptoes to look into the window at her newborn brother, asking, “Which one is Ren, Aunt Yume?”

“Hmm…there he is,” Yume said, pointing out the second baby on the left whose crib was labeled “Ren Naegino Robbins”. He looked very much like Hana did when she was born, save for a few dark curls poking out from underneath his hat. “Aw, he’s so cute and tiny!”

“He certainly is,” Dr. Thomas agreed.

Beside them, Hana began hopping up and down. “I still can’t see him!”

“Here.” 

Joining them, Ken scooped his daughter in his arms to give her a better view inside the nursery. Hana was instantly entranced, pressing her hands against the glass as she stared down at her new brother in awe. “Wow…”

“He is pretty incredible, isn’t he?” Ken said with pride, gazing down at his son for a few moments before turning his attention to Yume. “By the way, thanks again for looking after Hana and bringing her over, Yume.”

“No problem. I was happy to help,” Yume said, pulling out her cell phone and snapping a picture of Ren to show to her friends. “Is Sora still sleeping?”

“Yeah, she’s exhausted.”

“You look pretty tired, too,” she pointed out, noting the light circles under Ken’s eyes. “If you need me to watch Hana for a little while longer…”

He shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. I’ve been drinking coffee all night. Besides, doesn’t rehearsal start soon? You should be going if you don’t want to be late.”

Yume checked the time on her phone, surprised to discover it was already ten minutes to nine. She would definitely be cutting it close. “Oh, no, you’re right! Coach Wong is going to kill me. I need to go. Bye!”

* * *

Sure enough...

  
“Yume Naegino, you’re late!” Coach Wong barked from her spot at the boards, tapping the face of her watch with her fingertip when Yume burst through the doors to the practice rink, ten minutes after rehearsal was scheduled to start. “Do you realize that the show opens at the end of this month? You may be one of the headliners, but that‘s no excuse to waltz in here whenever you feel like it.”

Yume pressed her hands together and bowed in apology, falling back into ingrained habits. “Sorry, sorry!” she said. “My nephew was born this morning. I just came back from the hospital.”

“Oh, Sora had her baby?” The coach lost some of the edge in her voice, and Yume thought she saw the corners of her mouth twitch in what may have been a smile. “That is wonderful news, but, still…” Coach Wong, reverting back to her usual self, cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the other skaters who were already out on the ice, rehearsing one of the numbers that didn‘t require Yume‘s presence. “Let’s not make this a habit, okay? Hurry up and put on your skates. Next up will be the scene where Seraphina meets Frost for the first time.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Yume took a seat on one of the benches and began changing out of her sneakers and into her skates. Out of the corner of her eye, she happened to notice Ekaterina staring at her from her spot at the boards, about ten feet away. Yume waved in greeting, but Ekaterina barely acknowledged the gesture, quickly turning her focus back toward Mikhail and the other skaters on the ice.

 _That was strange_ , Yume thought, bringing her hand back down. Was Ekaterina that upset about Mikhail choosing to go to dinner at Sora‘s over spending time with her? She knew Ekaterina wouldn’t be happy about it, but she didn’t think it would be that big a deal.

She finished lacing up her skates and stood back up, intending to apologize for whatever offense she had unknowingly done to Ekaterina, but before she could, Coach Wong called for her to take the ice for Seraphina’s and Frost’s first meeting. Yume sighed and made a mental note to talk to Ekaterina later. The last thing she wanted was Mikhail’s sister to be mad at her.

She met up with Mikhail at the gate that served as the entrance to the ice. Their part of the number wouldn’t actually start until about two minutes in, so they had a private moment to themselves. Mikhail reached for her hand and chastely kissed her on the cheek.

“Hey, good morning,” he said. “I was beginning to worry you wouldn’t make it. Everything okay with your sister?”

“Oh, yes, she and baby Ren are doing great,” Yume said. “I just got back from dropping Hana off from the hospital with her dad.”

“Congratulations! So…does that mean your baby-sitting duties are over?”

“Yeah, I don’t think they’ll need me anymore today. I’m sure Ken’s parents will be happy to look after Hana if needed.”

“Good.”

Tilting her head to the side, Yume asked, “Why? Do you have something in mind?”

Mikhail coughed into his fist, an uncharacteristic flush coloring his cheeks. “Well, I was just thinking I could come visit you tonight…and maybe we could pick up where we left off?”

“Oh!” Yume blushed as well, remembering what had almost happened last night before Hana had interrupted them. With all the excitement of the morning, she had almost forgotten.

“You don’t want me to?”

Yume’s gaze shifted over to Ekaterina, who was again staring at her, and frowned. “No, it’s not that. I definitely do!” she assured him. “But what about Katia? I think she‘s mad that you ignored her last night to go out with me. Maybe it would be better if you spent some time with her.”

Mikhail rolled his eyes. “I plan to spend _plenty_ of time with Katia today. She’s already made me promise to treat her to dinner at the best restaurant in the city, then take her to some modern art exhibit at the museum she‘s been wanting to see. I’m sure she won’t mind if I sneak out for a couple of hours of private time afterwards. Now, Fool might pose more of a problem…”

“Oh, don’t worry about Fool,” Yume said, already thinking of several ways to make certain the perverted Spirit of the Stage wouldn’t become a voyeur of their special night. Sora had given her a couple of tips that could come in handy. “I’ll take care of him.”

“Then, it’s a date?” he asked as Yume stepped out onto the ice, preparing her cue.

Looking back at him over her shoulder as she skated to join the others, she grinned. “Yes, it’s a date.”

* * *

  
It was by far their best rehearsal to date. Even Coach Wong had to admit the show was coming along well, complimenting Mikhail on his improving performance and Yume on her perfectly landed triple axels. “But there’s always room for improvement,” she was quick to add before dismissing them.

Yume exchanged a few words with Mikhail, making plans to meet up in a few minutes to head for the skating center, then joined her friends, who were taking off their skates. Clarissa and Elizaveta offered her their congratulations on becoming an aunt again, but Pilar, of course, was far more interested in what was happening between her and Mikhail.

“So, tonight’s the night, huh?” she asked in a low voice, poking Yume in the ribs with her elbow. “Finally going to seal the deal?”

Yume’s ability to comprehend English slang must have been improving -- or maybe she had just become accustomed to Pilar’s particular style of speaking -- because she immediately picked up the meaning behind the question, her eyes widening in shock.

“How do you even know that?” she whispered, grateful that the other two were discussing some changes Mia had made to the choreography and therefore had not overheard.

“I happen to have very good hearing,” Pilar said with a shrug, not even embarrassed to confess that she had been eavesdropping on what was supposed to be a private conversation. “By the way, what is this ‘Fool’ you mentioned?” She raised an eyebrow. “Are you keeping some kind of pet in your dorm room? You know Kalos doesn’t allow performers to keep pets in the dorms.”

Flustered, Yume had no choice but to play dumb. Pilar wouldn’t believe her even if she told the truth about the Spirit of the Stage who was haunting her. “F-Fool? I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must have misheard something.”

“Hmm, maybe…” She sounded dubious, but fortunately let the subject drop, going back to the original topic. “But I know I heard correctly about you two making plans to see each other tonight.”

“It’s just a date…”

“Oh, please. Don’t try to fool me. I could sense the sexual tension between you two all during practice. Which reminds me, I have something for you.” She reached for her skate bag and pulled out a couple of small square-shaped packages, which she placed

in Yume‘s hand. “For protection,” she said with a knowing wink. “Stick to just being an auntie for now, okay? Motherhood can wait.”

“Pilar!”

Her outburst was loud enough to distract Clarissa and Elizaveta from their conversation. “Okay, what did you do now?” Clarissa asked Pilar, sounding like a long-suffering mother even though she was several years younger than the other girl. “Are you prying into Yume’s private business again?”

“Hey, it’s not private when they’re talking about it in a public place where anybody can overhear,” Pilar said, using her own particular brand of logic.

“Talking about what?” Elizaveta asked.

Yume slapped a hand over Pilar’s mouth before she could say anymore, discreetly slipping the condoms into her pocket with the other. “Nothing, nothing!” Not wanting to stick around and be badgered by more questions, she stood up and stuffed her skates in her skate bag. “Anyway, I need to get going.”

“Oh, wait, before you leave, Sergei wanted me to ask you if you would meet with him for a few minutes after practice,” Pilar said. “Alone, if possible.”

“Sergei? Why?” Yume asked, dumbfounded. She liked Pilar’s partner well enough, but they rarely spoke to each other outside of practice.

Pilar shrugged, apparently not as interested in what Sergei did off the ice as she was Yume‘s love life. “Who knows? I’m just the messenger. He said he would be waiting for you out front.”

Yume frowned, spotting Ekaterina chatting at the boards with her brother and Dmitri. She’d hope to have a chance to speak to Ekaterina before she and Mikhail had to leave for their Lovers’ Maneuver training, but she didn’t want to interrupt. “Well, I guess I can spare a couple of minutes,” she decided, swinging the bag over her shoulder. “I’ll go see what he wants. See you later.”

“Later! And have fun tonight!”

Yume just sighed and shook her head in defeat.

Wondering what possible reason Sergei had for wanting to talk to her alone, she headed outside, where she found him waiting for her, just as Pilar said. He waved when he spotted her, walking over to join her. “Ah, Yume! I’m glad you made it.”

“Hi, Sergei. Pilar said you needed to talk to me?”

“Uh, yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Yume sensed he was nervous about something, his eyes shifting over the vicinity as if to make certain nobody else was around. “Why don’t we sit down over there?” he suggested, pointing to a nearby bench.

“Okay…” He was behaving rather strangely, deepening Yume’s curiosity. “By the way, thank you for taking Katia out last night. It was a big help,” she said as they took a seat on the bench.

“No problem. She’s a nice girl. We had a good time. Oh, and congratulations! I heard you have a new nephew.”

Yume grinned. “Yeah, he was born this morning. He’s incredible. Do you want to see some pictures? I have some on my phone. Let me just find them…”

She started digging in her bag for her cell, but Sergei raised a hand, signaling her to stop. “Maybe some other time. I don’t want to keep you too long.”

“Oh, right.” Forgoing any more small talk, she decided to get straight to the point. “So what did you want to see me about?”

Sergei, however, remained silent, looking down at his watch. Again, he seemed apprehensive, and Yume wondered if perhaps he was waiting for something -- or someone -- to appear.

She touched his shoulder. “Sergei? Is something wrong?”

The gesture appeared to startle him, jolting him back to attention. “Oh, n-no. I‘m fine,” Sergei said, taking in a deep breath. “It’s just that I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m not sure how to say it…”

“What? Just tell me what’s going on. Why are you so jumpy?”

Without warning, he reached for her hand and blurted out, “Yume, I like you!”

“Eh?” Blindsided, Yume could do nothing but stare at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head. Out of all the things she might have imagined Sergei saying to her, that was literally the last thing on the list. “You…like me?” she sputtered after she managed to find her voice again. “Like, romantically?”

“Yes!”

“B-But you’re gay. You like men, right?”

“Sexuality is fluid,” he said with a shrug. “I am usually attracted to guys, but ever since we danced together the night of Clarissa’s birthday, I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.” He brought his hand to caress her cheek. “You’re so beautiful, Yume…”  
Still confused, Yume gently brushed his hand away. “Um, I’m very flattered, Sergei, but I’m dating Misha. You know what.”

“But do you love him?”

“Love?” Her cheeks warmed, remembering how Hana had asked the same question the previous night. Unfortunately, she was still unsure as to how to answer it. “T-That’s really none of your business!” she replied instead, abruptly standing up.

“Wait.” He rose from the bench as well and reached for her elbow, stopping her when she began to leave. “I’m sorry. I’m putting you on the spot.”

Yume let out a sigh and turned back around to face him. “I’m sorry, too. I’m sure this must be very confusing for you.”

“More than you can imagine. So how about a test?”

“Test?”

“To see if I’m actually attracted to you.”

“How would you determine that?”

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’m going to suggest we sleep together,” Sergei said, much to Yume’s relief. “A kiss should be enough to tell.”

That was almost as bad! “A k-kiss?”

“I’ve never actually kissed a girl before, come to think of it.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Maybe I’m bi and just didn’t realize it until now.”

“Then why don’t you ask Pilar? She probably wouldn’t mind,” Yume suggested.

“Pilar is like a sister to me. It wouldn’t work. I just can’t think of her like that.” Sergei placed his hands on her arms. “Please, Yume, it’s just one kiss. I need to know the truth.”

“I’d like to help you, but…”

“Misha never has to know,” he promised. “Please.”

Yume bit down on her bottom lip. Even if they kept it a secret from Mikhail, kissing another man would still a betrayal, no matter how good the intentions. But if it would help Sergei…

He leaned forward in preparation to kiss her, but a few inches away from her lips, Yume turned her face to the side, unable to go through with it, and Sergei’s body was suddenly jerked backwards so hard that he fell to the ground.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, you bastard!”

Yume gasped. “Misha!”

She had never seen Mikhail so angry before, his icy blue eyes practically ablaze. Even Ekaterina, who had exited the building with him, seemed shocked to see her brother so enraged.

“T-This isn’t what it looks like!” Sergei protested as he got back to feet.

Mikhail yelled something in Russian and seized the front of Sergei’s T-shirt. 

“No, don’t!” Ekaterina pleaded, grabbing Mikhail‘s arm. “He’s telling the truth. I put him up to this. It’s not Seryozha’s fault.”

“Katia?” Mikhail kept his grip on Sergei’s shirt as he turned his attention to his sister. “Explain.”

“I-I asked Seryozha to pretend to have a crush on Yume and try to kiss her.”

“What?” Yume said in surprise at the same time Mikhail asked, “Why?”

Ekaterina flinched at the harshness in his voice and clenched her hands so tightly at her side that her knuckles turned white. “I was testing her,” she admitted after a long pause, her voice slightly cracking as she attempted to hold back tears. “I was afraid she would break your heart like Tatiana, so I wanted to see if she was trustworthy enough to be your girlfriend.”

“And you went along with this ridiculous scheme?” Mikhail asked Sergei. “I thought we were friends.”

“I’m sorry, Misha,” Sergei said, clearly ashamed of his behavior. “Katia promised to get me an autographed photo of a dancer I admire. I didn’t think it would any real harm. You know I’m not attracted to Yume. It would be like kissing a sister to me.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Finally, he released his hold on Sergei’s shirt and shoved him toward Yume, whose head was still spinning from all the revelations. “Apologize to her, too.”

“I’m so sorry, Yume. I shouldn’t have tricked you like that.”

“I’m sor—“ Ekaterina began as well, but Mikhail cut her off, throwing his arm out in front of her.

“When we get back, I want you out of my room, Ekaterina.”

“What?” She was now crying in earnest, her mascara running down her cheeks. “Misha, I know you’re upset, but you can’t just throw me out. Where else am I supposed to go?”

“Find a hotel. Or better yet, just go back home. I can’t deal with you right now.” Mikhail reached for Yume’s wrist, turning them to leave. “Come on, Yume. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late for training.”

Yume took one final look back at Ekaterina, who had begun sobbing into Sergei’s shoulder, before quietly following after Mikhail.

* * *

  
The walk back to the dorms after their Lovers’ Maneuver training was awkward and silent, just as it had been on their way to the skating center. Mikhail had said less than ten words to Yume since they left Sergei and Ekaterina behind at Kaleido Stage. Though she made a few pathetic attempts at conversation, none of them worked, and she eventually gave up, deciding he would start talking when he felt like it.

It wasn‘t until they reached the dorm building that he finally spoke. “Do you want to come up to my room?” he asked, surprising her. “She should be gone by now.” 

There was no need for him to clarify who “she” was.

Yume frowned, remembering how upset Ekaterina had been when they left. “Was it really okay for you to tell her to leave?”

“She’s an adult. She’ll be fine.”

“No, that’s not what I really mea—Never mind.” Why was she worrying about Ekaterina anyway, after the horrible stunt she and Sergei had pulled? Besides, with her gone, they could finally have some uninterrupted alone time. Taking Mikhail’s hand, she said, “Let’s go.”

Mikhail led Yume up to his dorm room. As expected, Ekaterina wasn’t there, although she had left a note pinned to the front of the door. Yume couldn’t understand it, as it was written in Russian, but Mikhail yanked it down after giving it a read-through and crumpled it into a ball, which he then threw on the ground like a piece of trash.

“What did it say?”

“Nothing important. Just forget about it,” he said, showing her inside.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Mikhail began kissing her. Of course, she had known from the start what he had in mind when he invited her up to his dorm, but it still caught Yume off-guard. While his kisses were usually gentle and passionate, this time it felt like he was trying to suck the lips right off her face.

“Misha, wait…” she protested, removing his hands from the hem of her T-shirt, which he had been about to pull over her head. “Stop.”

"What's wrong?" he asked gruffly. "This is the reason you're here, right?"

"Yes, but this doesn't feel right. I think you're still upset about what happened earlier."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly. "Can't we just forget about what happened for a few hours?" he asked, lifting her chin. "There are other, more pleasurable, things we could be doing right now."

Yume shoved him away from her, not liking the way he was acting. "I'm not going to let you treat me as a distraction, Misha," she said. "I deserve better for my first time."

His eyes widened. "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." Mikhail sat down in an armchair, holding his head in his hands. "I wonder where she went..." he muttered under his breath.

Glancing around the room, Yume spotted his cell phone laying on the coffee table. She picked it up and held it out to him. "Call her," she said, knowing he wouldn't be able to relax until he knew his sister was okay.

Mikhail stared at the phone for a few seconds, hesitating, before finally taking the cell from Yume and dialing Ekaterina's number. He let it ring for well over a minute to no avail. "She's not answering," he said, ending the call and setting the phone aside.

"Maybe Sergei knows where she went," Yume suggested, but Mikhail balked at the idea of asking for his help.

"I'm never talking to him again," he said, reminding Yume very much of a little kid. Had the situation not been so serious, she might have laughed.

"Misha..." Kneeling down in front of him, she reached for his hands. "I know you're mad at him, and you have every right to be, but you know he never would have done something like that if Ekaterina hadn’t asked him. Sergei is one of your best friends."

"No, he’s not. Not anymore. He betrayed me. Everyone I care about betrays me.” He looked up, pulling his hands out of her grip. “Even you.”

“What are you talking about, Misha? I ne--

“What would have happened if Katia and I hadn’t shown up when we did?” Mikhail asked, cutting her off. “It didn’t look like you were doing much to discourage him. Did you actually want him to kiss you?”

“No, of course not! I --” Yume paused, biting down on her bottom lip. True, she hadn’t _wanted_ to kiss Sergei, but she _had_ considered it. “He said he was confused about his sexuality,” she admitted, deciding it was best to just tell the truth. “He thought kissing me would help clear up the confusion. I didn’t want to do it, but I wanted to help him, so… But I changed my mind at the last moment! Please, believe me. The only man I want to kiss is you, Misha.”

To prove it, Yume brought her lips to his, but Mikhail remained frozen and unresponsive, a mask falling over his face. “Misha, please, say something,” she begged, kissing him again. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t --”

“It’s okay. You don‘t have to apologize,” Mikhail finally said, his voice soft and barely audible. “I understand.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.” Removing his hands from her grasp, he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. “I’m kind of tired from practice. I think I’ll take a nap before dinner.”

“Oh, okay.” She rose to her feet as well, getting the hint. He needed time to process everything that had happened. “I wanted to stop by the hospital to see Sora and Ren, anyway. I’ll see you then, I guess.”

* * *

  
But Mikhail never showed up for dinner. After getting her tray, Yume looked around the cafeteria for any sign of him, but he was nowhere in sight. She sighed and was about to join her friends at their usual table when Sergei intercepted her.

“Yume, I just want to say again how sorry I am for the way I acted earlier,” he said. “I never should have agreed to do it.”

Her eyes narrowed. Despite what she told Mikhail earlier, she wasn‘t quite ready to forgive Sergei either. “No, you shouldn’t have. Misha is furious with you.”

“I don’t blame him. Are you meeting him for dinner? I’d like to talk to him, too.” 

“I don’t know where Misha is,” Yume said, her shoulders slumping. “We…kind of had a fight this afternoon.”

“Because of what I did?” He slapped his forehead. “Oh, man, I’ve really screwed things up.”

“But isn’t this what Ekaterina wanted to happen? It seems to me like your plan went perfectly,” she said in a bitter tone.

“I don’t think she knew what she wanted, to be honest.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s still her fault that all this happened.”

She conveniently forgot the main reason why Mikhail was so upset, that she had almost kissed another man. It was easier just to put all the blame on Ekaterina.

“About Katia…” Sergei began hesitantly.

“What about her?”

“Um, she told me not to say anything, but she’s staying at the Hamilton Hotel overnight. Suite 315,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s planning to fly back to Russia tomorrow afternoon. It was the earliest flight she could get on such short notice. I just thought Misha should know, so if you do get the chance to talk to him…”

“I’ll give him the info,” Yume said, her voice clipped as she brushed past Sergei and took a seat at the table with the rest of her friends.

“Oh, hey, Yume,” Pilar said. “When did you and Sergei get so buddy-buddy? You met with him earlier today, too, didn’t you? I didn’t realize you two were close.”

“We’re not,” she said, stabbing her baked chicken with a fork. “We’re definitely not friends.”

The other girls exchanged shocked glances, unaccustomed to seeing Yume angry. “Did…something happen?” Clarissa asked, concerned.

Yume sighed. “No, nothing,” she lied. Opening day was only a couple weeks away. She didn’t want to cause any ripples amongst the cast.

“Are you sure?”

“Just having a bad day, I guess. That’s all.”

“Oh, I get it,” Pilar said in a rather smug tone that irritated Yume even more. “Somebody’s annoyed that her boyfriend keeps spending time with his little sister rather than paying attention to her. What, did your ‘special’ plans for tonight get cancelled?”

“Pilar, that’s not i--”

“How are Sora and the baby, by the way?” Becca interrupted. “Did you go to see him again?”

Yume gratefully took advantage of the change in conversation, pulling out her cell phone to show her friends all the photos she had taken of her new little nephew when she had visited Sora that afternoon. Ren’s birth had been the only bright spot to an otherwise crappy day. The girls “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” over the pictures, after which a positively-giddy Clarissa revealed that Jason had finally asked her on an official date, having given up on his hopeless crush on Zoe.

Though Yume put on a happy face and congratulated her along with the rest of the group, inwardly, she was jealous to see Clarissa so happy and in love when her own relationship seemed on the brink of collapse. She immediately berated herself for having such petty thoughts, but she couldn’t help the way she felt. As the conversation turned to where they were going -- Marine Park -- and what Clarissa planned to wear, Yume began shoveling food into her mouth without really tasting it just so that she would have an excuse not to say anything and possibly betray her less-than-enthusiastic feelings about her friend’s new romance. She finished dinner in record time and quietly excused herself from the group, although she doubted any of them even realized she had left.

She started to go back to her dorm, but not wanting to deal with Fool and his inevitable questions at the moment, she headed down to the beach instead. The sun had recently dipped below the horizon, the last rays of sunlight coloring the cloudless sky in various shades of orange and red that faded into pale blue. The ocean waters were mostly calm, the surface disturbed only by the occasional small wave, and in the distance, she saw a yacht pulling into port for the night.

So caught up in the beauty of the sunset, she didn’t even realize that she wasn’t alone until she heard someone softly say her name.

“Yume.”

Startled, she wiped away a tear that had rolled down her cheek without her noticing and turned toward the direction of the voice.

“Oh, Misha…”

She was such an idiot. How could she have forgotten that Mikhail liked to come to the beach after dinner to bask in the twilight that reminded him of home? The two of them stared at each other for several moments, neither knowing what to say, until Mikhail abruptly turned back around, intending to leave. 

“I know where Ekaterina is staying tonight,” Yume blurted out, not wanting him to go just yet.

He whipped back around. “Where is she?”

“The Hamilton Hotel. She’s in Suite 315.”

There was a visible look of relief on his face upon hearing the news. He murmured something in Russian that Yume could not understand, then pulled out his cell phone, using it to find the hotel’s phone number and place a call to Ekaterina’s room. However, he hung up almost as soon as Ekaterina answered, not even bothering to say hello.

“You’re not going to answer that?” Yume asked when his ringtone went off a few seconds later. She had a feeling it was Ekaterina, calling him back. 

Mikhail shook his head and slid his phone back into his pocket after sending the call to voicemail. “I only wanted to know that she was safe,” he said. “That’s enough for now.”

“Sergei said she’s planning to fly back home tomorrow.”

She immediately regretted mentioning Sergei’s name, noting how Mikhail’s hand curled into a fist at his side.

“I see… So he‘s the one who gave you the information.”

“No, it’s wasn’t like that,” she said, stepping forward. “He wanted to tell you about Ekaterina himself, but you didn’t come to dinner, so he asked me to tell you instead. It‘s not like we‘re still friends or anything, though.”

Sighing, his hand relaxed. “You don’t have to stop being his friend on my account,” he said. “I know nothing would ever really happen between you two. I know that logically. In my head, I _know_ that, but in my heart…”

“You still feel like I betrayed you,” she completed for him.

“I’m sorry.” Mikhail turned his gaze toward the ocean, as if he couldn’t even bear to look at Yume, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “This isn’t fair to you. It wasn’t your fault, but I don’t know if I can trust you anymore.”

“Does this mean you want to break up?” she asked, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“What about the show? What about the Lovers’ Manuever?”

“I don’t know,” he repeated, still refusing to look at her.

“Misha, I…”

Yume wished there was something she could say that could make things right again, but no such magical words came to her. Instead, without saying good-bye, she pivoted around and sprinted back to her dorm.

She couldn’t believe this was happening. Tonight was supposed to be special, the night that they finally became lovers in every meaning of the word. How could everything go downhill so fast?

“Fool! Fool, where are you?” she called out as soon as the door closed behind her. Even if it was just a bunch of hocus-pocus…even if it was just a lie, she needed him to read her fortune and tell her that everything was going to be okay. “Fool?”

No one answered her.

A sinking feeling developed in the pit of her stomach. Something wasn’t right. She headed to her bedroom, hoping that she was just being paranoid and that Fool was in hiding somewhere, hoping to sneak a peek of her naked. It wouldn‘t be the first time. “Fool? Hey, this isn‘t funny. Come out right now, Fool! Please!” 

Again, no sign of him.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Knowing the surefire way to make Fool to appear, Yume stripped off her clothes and stood in the center of the room, garbed only a sports bra and panties. “I’m going to take a shower,” she said in a loud, exaggerated voice. “If you want to see something special, you better show yourself. Fool?”

But he never appeared. She had lost the ability to see the Spirit of the Stage.

The realization hitting her, Yume slumped down on the floor, feeling as if all the energy had been sucked out of her at once. It was bad enough that Mikhail had lost his trust in her, but at least if Fool was still around, she could believe that they would eventually work through their problems and perform the Lovers’ Maneuver as planned. If she could no longer see him, though…

She brought her knees to her chest and began to cry, never feeling more alone in her life.


	28. A Fool For Love

“Time-out!” May bellowed, making a T-shape with her hands.

From their spot in the middle of the rink, where they were about to attempt a throw triple axel, Yume and Mikhail skidded to a stop. The other skaters paused as well, all eyes focused on the couple who had earned the coach’s ire.

“What is going on here?” she demanded to know. “Yesterday, you two were amazing, but today…” She threw her hands in the air, momentarily lost for words for how bad they were skating. “Mikhail, where’s the love, the passion? In this number, Frost is supposed to be falling in love with Seraphina, but you’re just going through the motions. I’ve seen robots that are more romantic! And, Yume, I’ve yet to see you land a single jump cleanly, throw or side-by-side, and that last footwork sequence was atrocious. Have you forgotten everything you‘ve ever learned?”

“Sorry,” Yume said, unable to hold back a yawn. She had been fighting them back all practice, having tossed and turned for most of the night. “I didn’t get much sleep.”

May frowned, none too pleased with that excuse, and turned her attention to Mikhail. “And you? Are you tired, too?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t really sleep either,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. Glancing over at Mikhail, who she had been avoiding looking at unless it was absolutely necessary, Yume noticed for the first time the faint dark circles under his eyes.

May sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead. “Oh, for the love of -- I get what it’s like to be young, horny, and in love, but that’s no excuse not to get the proper amount of rest.”

Yume’s cheeks burned when she realized what May was implying, and she began waving her hands in front of herself, protesting, “No, that’s not what --”

“Spare me the details. I’m not interested,” May said, looking down at her watch. “Look, this is going nowhere. I have better things to be doing with my time. Let’s just call it a day for you two. Go take a nap before your Lovers’ Maneuver training…separately.”

Without a word, the two of them exited the ice and started taking off their skates. They had barely spoken to each other since arriving at practice, other than a polite “Good morning.” Yume had been stunned to see him at all at rehearsal, assuming that Mikhail no longer wanted to skate with her after everything that had happened. At first, she took it as a good sign, a possible light of hope that they could work things out, but it seemed like he really was just “going through the motions,” as their coach had so aptly put it, only fulfilling his obligation to perform in the show.

Mikhail was the first to leave. Yume, wanting to know if he planned to attend their training, quickly slipped on her sneakers, not bothering to tie them, and chased after him. “Misha, wait!” she called out as she burst through the doors.

To her surprise, Mikhail was leaning against the wall next to the entrance, almost as if he had expected her to come after him.

“Um…have you seen Fool lately?” she asked.

“No. He was staying in your room, wasn’t he?”

Yume’s shoulders slumped. It had been a long shot, of course, but she had hoped that Fool had simply decided to spend the night in Mikhail’s dorm instead of hers. “So he’s gone, after all…”

“Fool has disappeared?”

“We’ve lost the ability to see him. We’re no longer qualified to attempt the Lovers’ Maneuver.”

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Sighing, he shifted his skate bag over to his other shoulder. “Let’s just forget about it. The show will be fine without it. I’m sure Mia can think of something else for the climax.”

She had expected him to say as much, although it was still difficult to accept. “You’re giving up, just like that?”

“What is the point of continuing the training when we can no longer see Fool? It would just be a waste of time. We don’t even know what the Lovers’ Maneuver is.”

“But he might come back. I’m not sure why he’s disappeared, but if we keep working at it --”

He held up a hand, silencing her. “Yume, stop. It’s no use. He’s gone. It’s over.”

_We’re over._

He didn’t say the words aloud, but the meaning couldn’t have been clear. Mikhail didn’t even want to try to fix the problems in their relationship. Yume’s eyes stung as she held back her tears, but she refused to cry in front of him, pivoting around on her heel and swiping the sleeve of her sweatshirt across her face.

“So you won’t come to training today?” she asked, hoping she sounded more composed than she felt.

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Fine.” Nothing she could say would convince him to change his mind, anyway. “So what should I tell Merle and Sam?”

“It doesn’t matter. Tell them whatever you want,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand before leaving.

*****

Yume, in her haste to catch up with Mikhail, had left her skates behind, so she went back to the rink and gathered the rest of her things. May had the other skaters working on a group number that neither she nor Mikhail were featured in. She watched them practice for a few seconds before heading back out, wondering what she should do with her unexpected free time. May had suggested that she try to get some more sleep, but Yume had a feeling that she would get no more rest than she had the night before, so she decided to visit Sora instead. Maybe some cuddle-time with her new nephew would help cheer her up.

When she arrived at the Robbins’ household, Sora was the one to answer the door, looking very much like a harried new mother, with messy, uncombed hair and bleary eyes. She was still dressed in her pajamas, even though it was already close to noon, and she let out a huge yawn as she motioned for Yume to come inside.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Sora asked, squinting at the wall clock on the wall. “Shouldn’t you be at practice?”

Yume plastered on a fake smile, trying to seem cheerful and upbeat. “Coach Wong decided to give us a break today, so I thought I would drop by and see my favorite niece and nephew. This isn’t a bad time, is it? I can come back later if you want…”

“No, of course not! You know you’re always welcome here. I’m afraid I just put Ren down for a nap, though.”

“That’s okay. I‘ll just play with Hana, then.” Yume glanced around, expecting her niece to come racing over to give her a hug like she usually did. “Where is she?”

“Ken took her to the store to pick up a few things. They should be back soon.”

“Oh. Is she adjusting well to being a big sister?”

Sora chuckled, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to put it in some semblance of order. “Yes, she loves it, although I think she’s starting to get a little jealous of all the attention we need to give Ren at the moment. That’s why I told Ken to take her along with him. Some solo father-daughter time should make her happy.” She pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “Tea? I just put a kettle on right before you arrived.”

“That sounds good. Thanks.”

Yume followed Sora to the kitchen and took a seat at the table while her sister prepared the refreshments. “So, what’s really going on with you?” Sora asked, grabbing a couple of glasses from the cupboard and placing them on a small tray next to the tea kettle and a plate of cookies.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, I know May Wong, and May would never cut a practice early for no reason, especially this close to opening day.” She brought the tray over to the table and began serving the tea. “Did you have a fight with Mikhail?”

“Is it that obvious?” Yume asked with a weary sigh, resting her head down on the table.

“Well, it’s obvious that you didn’t get much sleep, and it’s not like you had a crying baby to keep you up all night as an excuse. What happened?”

“We broke up, I think. I’m not entirely sure. Everything went wrong so fast…”

Sora listened patiently as Yume told her the entire story about what happened with Sergei and Ekaterina, only making the occasional sympathetic sound as appropriate. It felt good to finally get the chance to talk to somebody about what had happened. She missed breakfast due to trying to get some last minute rest before practice, so she hadn’t been able to tell Pilar and the others what had happened -- not that she really wanted to discuss it with them, anyway. It was already bad enough that she and Mikhail were barely speaking when the show was so close to opening; she didn’t want to cause any problems with Mikhail and the rest of the cast.

“…and when I went back to my room, Fool was gone!”

“What?” Sora set down her glass, interrupting for the first time since Yume began. “You can no longer see Fool?”

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning,” Yume admitted. “Neither has Misha. Have you?” Her eyes darted around the kitchen, half-hoping to see Fool pop out of one of the cabinets. She never considered that he might have just gone to visit Sora for a change of pace, but maybe…

“No, he’s not here,” Sora said, bursting her bubble. “To be honest, though, I haven’t seen him for a while.” Wistfully, she traced a finger around the rim of her glass. “That’s not so surprising, perhaps…”

“What do you mean? You can’t see him either?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t be certain, but it’s possible I’ve lost the ability to see him. After all, I’m no longer a Kaleido Star.”

“Of course you are!” Yume practically shouted, jumping up from her seat. “Yes, you’re on maternity leave at the moment, but once you come back…” Her voice drifted off, and she sat back down in shock, realizing the meaning behind Sora‘s words. “You’re not coming back, are you?”

“I haven’t made my final decision yet, but, yes, it’s true. I don’t think I’m going to return to the stage.”

“B-But why?” Yume couldn’t understand. Sora loved performing more than anything in the world; why would she voluntarily choose to give it up? “You can’t just leave Kaleido Stage.”

“Yume, I’m not as young as I used to be,” Sora reminded her. “I’ll be thirty-five next November, which is quite old for a trapeze artist. I’ve had the most amazing career, but I think it’s time that I move on to the next chapter in my life and give somebody else the chance to become a Kaleido Star, don’t you think?”

Yume didn’t quite know how to answer that, still trying to recover from her sister’s bombshell news.

“Besides,” she continued after taking a sip of tea, “we have two wonderful children to raise, and I don’t want them to end up like poor Marion, who lost her own mother so young due to a trampoline accident. That would just break my heart.” 

Unspoken was Sora’s own experience with losing her biological parents when she was a child, but Yume knew that also had to weigh heavily on her mind. “But you’ve never had any major accidents on the trapeze,” she still protested.

“Luck, pure luck. I told you that before.” Smiling, she reached across the table and placed her hand over Yume’s. “Believe me, I’ve given this decision a lot of thought these last few weeks, and I know this is for the best. I have no regrets. I’ve accomplished everything I ever wanted and more on stage, so now I want to help others achieve their dreams as well. I‘m not planning to leave Kaleido Stage for good; I‘ll just be a trainer, instead of a performer.” She reached for a cookie, breaking it in half and handing one of the pieces over to Yume. “But enough about me. I thought we were supposed to be talking about your problems.”

“Oh, right…” Yume had almost forgotten her own troubles, distracted by Sora’s unexpected announcement. “There’s not much more to discuss, though,” she said after eating her half of the cookie and wiping away the crumbs. “Misha showed up for practice this morning, but neither of us had gotten much sleep, so Coach Wong got fed up with how terrible we were skating and told us to leave. Afterwards, I asked him if he planned to continue our training for the Lovers’ Manuever. He said it would just be a waste of time since neither of us can see Fool now.” Yume slumped back in her chair and let out a loud sigh. “Maybe he’s right. Maybe we should just cut our losses and forget about the whole thing…”

“Is that what you really want to do?”

“No, but what other choice do I have? I don’t know what the Lovers’ Maneuver is, but I’m certain I need a partner to do it.”

Sora frowned, shaking her head in obvious disappointment. “I’m starting to see why you can no longer see Fool.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Yume demanded to know, sitting back up. She wasn’t used to Sora scolding her.

“You’re giving up hope. Even worse, you’re giving up without a fight. That’s not the Yume Naegino I know.”

“But there’s nothing I can do about it, Sora. I can’t make Misha want to get back together and start training again.”

“You still love Mikhail, don’t you?”

“W-What does that have to do with anything?” she asked, her cheeks burning. Why did everybody keep asking her that? “That’s none of your business!” 

Sora chuckled. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’, then,” she said. “If you do love him, then fight for him. Show him that he can trust you and that you trust him. Don’t just give up over something like this. What happened wasn’t your fault, and if you just give him some time, I think Mikhail will be able to work through whatever issues he has. After all, he hasn‘t officially broken up with you yet, right? That means there still may be hope for a reconciliation.”

“Do you really think that will happen?”

Her sister shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t have Fool’s ability to predict the future, but it’s worth a shot, isn’t it? It’s better than moping around, feeling sorry for yourself. Continue with your training for now. You never know what may happen.”

At that moment, a piercing wail emanated from the baby monitor sitting on the kitchen counter. “Sounds like somebody decided to wake up from his nap,” Sora said with a good-natured laugh, standing back up. “He’s probably hungry. It’s about that time again. Want to come see him?”

Yume started to say “yes”, but upon catching sight of the time on the stove clock, she shook her head. “Actually, I should probably get going,” she said. “Merle is expecting me.”

“Merle? Does that mean what I think it means?”

Yume smiled -- really smiled -- for the first time in what felt like days. “You’re right, Sora. I can’t just give up now. I‘m going to keep trying and win Misha back!”

*****

Encouraged after her talk with Sora, Yume arrived at the rink in good spirits for her Lovers’ Maneuver training with Merle. She got straight to work on the exercise for the day, which consisted of simple chin-ups at the bar, and soon fell into a meditative rhythm that emptied her mind of all thoughts of Mikhail and Fool until a knock on the door interrupted her concentration.

“Merle, it’s me.”

“Come in,” Merle said, motioning for Yume to continue what she was doing.

The door swung open, and Merle’s husband entered the training area, his eyes widening slightly in surprise when he saw Yume. “Oh, Yume, I didn’t realize you were here already,” Sam said. “In that case, you’re just the person I wanted to see. Do you   
know where Mikhail is? I’ve been waiting for him at the rink for over twenty minutes now, but he hasn’t shown up yet.”

Though she already knew that Mikhail had planned to stop his part of the training, Yume still felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing he hadn‘t come. Perhaps a small part of her hoped that he would change his mind about his decision. “Oh…” Slowing down her chin-ups, Yume’s mind went into overdrive as she tried to come up with a believable excuse for his absence. If they knew the real reason why he had failed to show, Merle would probably tell her to throw in the towel as well. “Misha wasn’t feeling very well today, so he decided not to come. Sorry, I should have told you as soon as I arrived.”

“That’s alright. Well, tell him I hope he feels better soon, but he’ll have to work overtime next time to make up for missing practice.”

“I will,” Yume promised, hoping that there would be a “next time”.

After Sam left, however, Merle turned to face Yume, right eyebrow arched and her arms crossed over her chest. “Okay, what’s the real story?”

“W-What do you mean?”

“Mikhail isn’t sick. He’s skipping, isn’t he?”

“No, no, he feels awful,” Yume insisted. “He’s on the edge of dying, really…can barely stand. Chills, fever, vomiting…” Her voice trailed off as it became clear that Merle wasn’t believing a word she was saying, and she sighed, knowing it was impossible to hide the truth from her. “Yeah, he’s skipping,” she finally admitted, letting go of the bar and landing on her feet so they could have a proper conversation.

“And why is he skipping?”

“Because we might have broken up?”

“Might?” Merle frowned. “You’re not sure?” 

Yume shook her head, hugging herself. “Not exactly… It‘s complicated, but right now, he has no interest in training for the Lovers‘ Maneuver.”

“Yet you still came to practice.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, starting to gather her things to leave. “I’m wasting your time, aren’t I?”

“Wait, Yume, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“But it’s true. Without Misha, there’s no point in continuing this. I can’t even see Fool anymore!” Unexpectedly, a sob escaped her throat, and Yume turned away, embarrassed to cry in front of a coach. “I don’t know why I even came here today…” she said, wishing Sora hadn’t talked her into it.

“Because you want to believe that he will come back,” Merle said, placing a comforting hand on Yume‘s shoulder. “You still haven’t given up hope.”

“I’m such a fool.”

“Well, love does tend to make people stupid at times…” Merle reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which she handed to Yume. “Sometimes I wish I had been that stupid, too.”

Yume glanced back at the older woman, incredulous. That was the last thing she expected Merle to say.

“I’ve never told you the reason my partner and I were never able to perform the Lovers’ Maneuver, have I?”

Yume shook her head, dabbing the tears away from her eyes with the handkerchief. “No, I assumed it was something you didn’t want to discuss.”

“You’re right. It’s not a pleasant memory, but maybe hearing what happened to me will help you in your situation.”

Merle motioned Yume to take a seat in the metal folding chair that stood in the corner the room, then pulled out another nearby chair for herself. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to gather her thoughts before beginning with her tale. 

“Like I mentioned before, Fool first appeared to me when I was still a competitive skater,” she said. “I was seventeen years old, with dreams of winning a gold medal in the upcoming Olympic Games with my partner, Patrick, on whom I had developed a huge crush. He was my first love, and I was ecstatic when he finally confessed that he felt the same way. That was when Fool told us about the Lovers’ Manuever. We decided we would attempt it in our Olympic long program. If we managed to pull it off, then we would be practically guaranteed the gold medal.

“However, about five months before the Olympics, Patrick was injured in a motorcycle crash. He broke his leg and was told that it would probably take about four months for it to heal completely, maybe even more. It was the worst thing that could have happened in an Olympic season, and I was devastated. Though he promised he would do everything he could to get back on the ice as soon as possible, I knew it would be impossible for us to seriously compete with just a few weeks of practice, so I broke off our pairs partnership and decided to focus my attention solely on my singles skating. As horrible as it sounds, I blamed Patrick for his accident. I was always telling him that motorcycles were too dangerous, but he had this ‘devil-may-care’ personality and lived for performing death-defying stunts.

“Around that time, I stopped being able to see Fool as well. All I cared about was winning the Olympic gold. I threw myself completely into my training, pretty much ignoring Patrick as he underwent his rehab. True to his word, he was back on the ice in only three months, but I still wouldn’t agree to train with him again. Even though he had recovered, I knew he still wasn’t in peak condition. My best chance of winning gold was on my own.

“I easily won the ladies’ title at the national championships and was named to the Olympic team. Though Patrick tried to be happy and supportive of me, I knew it was hard for him to see me living out our Olympic dreams without him. I told him we could always try again for the next Olympics, but he still acted as if we had lost our one and only chance. Later, I learned why. His parents were insisting that he go to college and told him that they would no longer pay his expenses if he continued skating after the Olympic season. Unless he found some other way to get the money he needed, it really was his only chance of being an Olympian.

“Anyway, right before I left, we got into a stupid fight. Patrick had seen me talking with another guy who skated at our rink and accused me of cheating on him. I wasn’t, but that didn’t seem to matter to him. We didn’t part on the best of terms. That… That was the last time I ever saw him.”

Merle fell silent, her gaze looking past Yume as if she wasn’t even there.

“Coach? Are you okay?” Yume hesitantly asked, touching her arm and startling Merle from the trance she had fallen in.

“Sorry. I’m fine, I’m fine.” Since she had given her handkerchief to Yume earlier, Merle pushed up her glasses and used a hand to wipe away a couple of wayward tears before going on with her story. “It was a few hours before the free program when I heard the news. The night before, Patrick had gotten drunk with a couple of his buddies and went for a joyride in his father’s car. He crashed into a tree. The guys who were with him managed to escape with only minor injuries, but Patrick…”

Her voice trailed off, but there was no need for her to finish the sentence. Another silence fell over them, one that Yume was reluctant to break. She had no idea what to say, anyway. She’d been curious about the reason why Merle never performed the Lovers’ Manuever, but she never imagined the story would be so heart-breaking.

“Well, you can imagine how well I skated that night,” Merle finally continued upon regaining her composure. “I was skating to a happy, upbeat piece of music, but I was in tears the entire time, wishing that Patrick was with me on the ice. It felt wrong competing in the Olympics without him, and I blamed myself for his death, thinking if only I hadn’t given up on him, we might have made it to the Olympics together. I don’t think I landed a single jump in my free program. I went from third place after the short, with a good chance of making the podium -- maybe even winning the gold -- to nineteenth place overall. It was, without a doubt, the worst day of my entire life. My Olympic dream became a nightmare.”

“I’m sorry,” Yume said, her voice in a near whisper as she struggled to hold back her own tears. “I never realized…”

Merle shook her head. “It was a long time ago. I’ve made my peace with what happened, although, to be honest, I still have my regrets, even after all these years.” She reached for Yume’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. “That’s why I think it’s okay for you to be a little stupid. Who cares if people think you are foolish for believing in love? I’d rather be a fool than give up on something I really want. If you still want to perform the Lovers‘ Maneuver with Mikhail, then keep believing in that dream and trust that he will come back.”

*****

Upon returning to the dormitory at Kaleido Stage after finishing her training with Merle, Yume ran into the one person she didn’t want to see at the moment: Mikhail. It appeared that he had just arrived back as well, although from where, Yume had no idea. Though tempted to ignore him, she knew avoiding Mikhail was hardly the way to fix their relationship, so she jogged to catch up with him just before he reached the stairs up to his room.

“Um, hi,” she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and wishing she had taken more time to make herself presentable before leaving the rink. She hadn’t even showered, planning to soak in a nice, hot bath when she got home. The one good thing about Fool disappearing was that she no longer had to worry about him trying to peek on her.

Mikhail, on the other hand, looked great, dressed up in a nice pair of jeans and a T-shirt, topped with a black blazer that made the color of his ice-blue eyes pop. _Is he coming back from a date?_ Yume couldn’t help but wonder with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He wouldn’t be that cruel, though, would he? They weren’t even officially broken up yet.

“Oh, hello,” he said. His tone was polite, but distant, as if he was speaking to a mere acquaintance. Looking down at her skate bag, he frowned, then asked, “Did you just come back from training with Merle?”

Yume nodded. “I told them you were sick, but Merle didn’t --”

“You shouldn’t have gone,” he interrupted, sounding almost angry. “I told you, it’s a waste of time.”

“I’ll be the judge of what is and what isn‘t worth my time,” she said sharply, switching her bag to her other shoulder. Things weren’t going as well as she hoped they would. Maybe it would have been better to ignore him, if all they were going to do was argue.

“Yume…”

She hated the way he was looking at her, like she was somebody deserving pity. In his eyes, Mikhail probably saw her as pathetic, chasing after a goal she would never reach.

In an attempt to change the subject, she decided to turn the focus on him. “Well, what about you? Where have you been? I thought you would be resting in your room.” 

It sounded more like an accusation than she meant it to be, but Mikhail didn’t even flinch, answering her question without pause. “I went to see Katia before she went back to Russia.”

“Oh.” She breathed a sigh of relief. So he hadn’t been out on a date, after all, although she was surprised to hear that he had gone to see Ekaterina when he had been so furious with her the day before. “You’ve forgiven her?”

“She’s my little sister,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and staring down at the ground. Yume sensed that he was avoiding her gaze. “What she did was wrong, but her heart was in the right place…”

“Yet you can’t forgive me?”

“Yume, I don’t blame you for what happened. I told you that yesterday,” he reminded her. “It wasn’t your fault, so there’s nothing to forgive.”

“Then why doesn’t it feel like that?” she demanded to know, her hand tightening around the strap of her bag. She didn’t understand. How could he forgive Ekaterina so easily, but continue to push her away? “Why do I feel like the bad guy in this situation?”

“I-I’m sorry,” was all he could say in response before pivoting around and climbing up the stairs.

“Misha, wait!” Yume followed after him. “Please, just tell me what I need to do to make you trust me again,” she pleaded. “Please!”

He acted as if he didn’t hear her, continuing to look straight ahead as he made his way up to his dorm room, which was on the second floor. It wasn’t until they had reached the door to 201 that he finally turned back around to face her.

“Can I ask you something? Why are you continuing with the Lovers’ Maneuver training?”

Yume blinked, not expecting that question. “Why?”

“Yes, why. Why waste your time when neither of us can even see Fool anymore? It doesn’t make sense. I don‘t understand.”

“Well, um, because…because…”

She bit down on her bottom lip, clenching her free hand into a fist at her side. _Come on, Yume, just tell him already,_ she lectured herself. _There’s no point in denying it any longer. Tell him the truth. Tell him how you really feel about him! Nothing will change unless you do._

Having built up her courage, she closed her eyes and blurted out, “Because I love you, that’s why!”

Upon finally saying the words aloud, it felt as if her heart had been unlocked, letting loose a wave of powerful emotion that almost overwhelmed Yume with its strength. She loved Mikhail… She loved him! Why had it taken her so long to admit that when it was so obvious how she felt?

Her eyes fluttered opened, sensing Mikhail’s fingers hesitantly brush against her cheek. He had yet to say anything in response to her declaration, but the look on his face had softened, no longer showing anger, pity, or feigned indifference. Yume placed her hand over his, holding it against her cheek, and stared straight into his ice blue eyes, silently begging him to believe her.

“I love you, Misha,” she repeated. “I love you so, so much.”

Yume stepped forward, and taking the fact that he had yet to pull away from her as permission, lightly pressed her lips against his. Unlike the last time she attempted to kiss him, Mikhail was much more responsive to her advances, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her closer toward him. 

Their kisses started out soft, but grew in intensity the longer they continued. A pleasant warmth spread throughout Yume’s body, Mikhail’s touches electrifying her to her very core. The rest of the world disappeared, the two of them locked away in their own little bubble until Mikhail’s lips abruptly pulled away.

“Misha?”

He was staring at something -- or someone -- over her shoulder. Thinking it might be Fool, Yume pivoted around, only to see Sergei exiting from his dorm two doors down.

“Uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Sergei said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t realize… Oh, but, hey, you‘ve made up! That’s great. Fantastic!”

Mikhail’s hands, which had been resting on Yume’s hips, dropped to his side, and he took a step back toward the door. “No,” he mumbled to himself in a low voice that only Yume could hear. “I shouldn’t have done that. I forgot… I got caught up in the moment…”

“What are you saying, Misha?” Yume asked, craning her neck to look back at him. “I thought --”

“I-I’m sorry, Yume. I’m really sorry.”

He escaped into his dorm, closing and locking the door before Yume could stop him. Confused by what had just happened, she knocked several times, pleading with him to let her in so they could talk things over, but it soon became obvious that Mikhail had no intention of doing so. She let out a huge sigh, resting her forehead against the door in defeat.

_Why did Misha run off like that?_ she asked herself. _I thought we were in the middle of reconciling._ She pressed two fingers to her lips, which still burned in memory of the kiss they shared. _He wouldn’t have kissed me like that if he didn’t still have feelings for me, would he? I just don’t understand…_

Someone’s hand on her shoulder startled Yume from her thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Yume,” Sergei said. “I just seem to cause you problems every time we see each other lately. If I had known…”

Turning around, Yume shook her head. “This isn’t your fault, Sergei. Just bad timing.”

“The worst,” he agreed. “But, seriously, what is Misha’s problem? I don’t understand why he’s taking this out on you. I was the one who tried to trick you into kissing me. He should know that you’re blameless in this whole situation.”

“I don’t know,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself, “but I’m not giving up on him -- or the Lovers’ Maneuver.”

She was more certain of that than ever. She loved Mikhail Vladimirov, and no matter how of a fool it made her, she would continue to believe in him. She would not make the same mistake Merle made.

“In that case, I’m rooting for you two. Good luck!”

Yume smiled, grateful for the support -- even if it was from the guy who had started the mess in the first place. “Thanks.”


	29. Reunions

Opening day for _Fire and Ice_ fast approached, yet the Ice Prince‘s refrozen heart had yet to fully thaw toward his partner -- a fact that soon became evident to almost everybody involved in the production. Mia Guillem, the head director of the show, was practically pulling out her hair as she watched a cold run-through of the production with May, the owner, his wife, and producer Yuri Killian. Yume couldn’t be certain, but she thought she had heard Mia cry out, “This is a total disaster!” at one point in the show, although the director was all forced smiles afterwards as she gave the gathered cast a pep talk.

“Well, there are still some things we need to work on before we open, but that was a great start, guys,” she lied through her teeth.

Beside Yume, Pilar snorted in disbelief. “In what universe was that great?” she muttered as Mia began going over the copious amount of notes she had taken during the show. “I wouldn’t watch the show we just did for free, much less spend some of my hard-earned money for a ticket.”

Clarissa jabbed Pilar in the ribcage with her elbow. “Pilar!”

“What? I’m just being honest.”

“She’s right,” Yume agreed with a sigh, knowing that as the lead female star she was at least partially to blame for the lackluster performance. “I’m sorry I didn‘t skate my best today.”

“Nobody is blaming you, Yume,” Becca, who stood on the other side of her, said. “We all saw how hard you were trying, but with Mikhail making so many mistakes…”

“Hard to believe that he’s an Olympic gold medalist after watching that performance, isn’t it?” Zoe asked. “He didn’t land a single clean jump today. I thought he was supposed to be the technically perfect Ice Prince.”

“Nobody’s perfect, not even Mikhail Vladimirov.”

“I know, but still…”

Yume understood what she meant. As his partner, she had witnessed Mikhail miss the occasional jump here and there during practice, but it had been shocking to see him fall apart like that during the rehearsal. Even when they first started having problems in their off-ice relationship, he had managed to at least perform up to his usual technical skill level. Today, however, he had popped or fallen on every jump attempt, failed to give her the necessary height on their throws and twists, spun woefully out-of-sync, and even slipped during a footwork sequence. It wasn’t like him at all, and he had stormed out of the rink immediately after the last number, not even waiting to hear what Mia had to say about the performance. After telling Yume to stay put, an irate May had chased after him, no doubt aiming to give him a piece of her mind.

“Is he injured?” Elizaveta wondered. “Has he mentioned not feeling well lately, Yume?”

“Um, no, not really…” She still hadn’t told her friends that they were barely speaking, worried that it would cause problems just before the show.

“Okay, enough beating around the bush,” Pilar said, hands on hips. “What is going on between you two? You’ve been acting more like strangers than boyfriend and girlfriend the past few days, and don‘t even try to deny it. We‘ve all noticed it. Mikhail didn’t even look at you unless it was part of the choreography. Are you guys fighting?”

“Well…um…”

Fortunately, Yume was saved from being put on the spot when Kalos scolded them for not paying attention to Mia’s critique. Chastised, she gave her full attention to the director for the rest of the meeting, ignoring Pilar’s continued whispered questions, then slipped away from her friends almost as soon as they were dismissed.

She was worried about Mikhail. Maybe Elizaveta’s suspicions were correct and he was either injured or sick. She could think of no other reason for him to have such a disastrous skate. Assuming that he had headed back to his room after rehearsal, Yume checked out the men’s dormitory, getting no answer no matter how many times she knocked on his door. 

She frowned. Even if they weren’t currently on the best of terms, she was getting frustrated with Mikhail’s tendency to give her the silent treatment whenever he was upset about something. 

“Are you looking for Mikhail?”

Startled, Yume turned around. Dominique’s partner, Sebastien, was standing in front of the door next to Mikhail’s, one hand on the knob, the other holding his keys.

“Have you seen him?”

“Yeah, I just saw him heading toward the beach. He seemed to be in a pretty pissy mood. Coach Wong must have really laid into him.”

 _Well, at least he wasn’t purposely ignoring me_ , Yume thought. “Thanks,” she said, leaving to go find her partner.

However, when she reached the beach, Mikhail was nowhere in sight. The place was deserted, save for a pile of discarded clothes Yume found laying in the sand. She walked over and picked up the navy-colored sweatshirt on top of the stack, recognizing it as the same one Mikhail had worn during rehearsal. She glanced around for a second time, squinting her eyes and shielding them from the bright sun with her hand until she finally spotted him in the water, swimming amongst the waves.

 _It’s not just on ice -- he’s so graceful, even swimming in the ocean,_ Yume thought, impressed with his perfect form and high speed as he crossed the water. She was only a decent swimmer herself, preferring water to be frozen, but if Mikhail hadn’t decided to become a figure skater, she had no doubt he would have done just as well as an Olympic-level swimmer with the proper training.

She placed his shirt back on top of the pile and dropped her skate bag beside it, taking a seat in the sand to wait for him. It wasn’t long before he emerged from the water, dripping wet and dressed only in a pair of tiny black compression shorts. Feeling her cheeks warm, Yume reached for her bag and began digging around for a towel as he walked up to her.

He came to a stop about a foot in front of her, his shadow announcing his close presence. “Yume…”

“Um, here,” she said, finally locating a clean towel and holding it out to him. “You should dry off.”

Mikhail hesitated for a moment before taking it. “Thanks.” After quickly toweling off, he put his sweatshirt back on and, to Yume’s surprise, plopped down on the sand beside her. “I’m sorry,” he said, sighing as he ran a hand through his wet hair. “I skated terribly this morning.”

Yume’s first instinct was to assure him that he hadn’t performed that badly, that every skater had “off” days when it seemed like they could do nothing right, but they both knew that rehearsal had been a disaster. There was no point in trying to sugar-coat it. “What happened?” she asked instead. “Are you sick? Injured? Is it a problem with your skates?”

Mikhail shook his head. “No, physically, I feel fine, and my skates are in good condition…” He stared down at his hands, rolling his fingers into tight, clenched fists. “I-I don’t know why I skated like that. I just don‘t know.”

He sounded so…lost. Defeated. Silently, Yume reached for his left hand, unfurling his fingers to thread her own between them. She expected him to immediately pull away from her, as he had done so often as of late when she tried to show him affection, so she was surprised when she felt him squeeze her hand back. The two of them continued sitting like that, hands clasped together, for several minutes, until Mikhail finally loosened his grip and let go.

“Sorry,” he apologized again. “I shouldn’t --”

“It’s fine,” she said. “More than fine, really.”

“No, it’s not. I keep sending you mixed signals, and it isn’t fair to you.” He stood back up. “I should go.”

“Wait, Misha…please.” She rose to her feet as well, reaching for him. “I wasn’t lying when I told you I loved you the other day, and I think you feel the same about me. I’m not just imagining things, am I?”

“Yume, d-don’t…”

“Why? Why are you so afraid?”

“Afraid?” He let out a laugh, although it sounded rather forced to Yume’s ears. “I’m not afraid. Don‘t be ridiculous.”

“I think you are.”

“Of what?”

“I don’t know…” she admitted, letting go of her hold on his arm. She wasn’t even sure why she had said that, the words leaving her mouth without much forethought. “Getting your heart broken again? Isn’t that the reason why Ekaterina tested me? Because she thought I would hurt you like Tatiana?”

“That’s not the only reason,” he said in a barely audible voice.

Yume‘s brow furrowed. “Not the only reason? What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” Mikhail said, glancing away. “Nothing, it’s not important. Besides, shouldn’t you be heading to rink? You are still doing the Lovers’ Maneuver training, aren’t you?” 

She looked down at her watch and frowned. True, it was about time for her to leave, but she hated to run off in the middle of their conversation, especially when it seemed like they were finally getting somewhere.

“Go,” he prodded her, sensing her hesitation. He gave her back the towel he had borrowed, then reached for his pants. “Don’t let me keep you.”

“I thought you said I was wasting my time with the training,” she reminded him.

“It doesn’t really matter what I think, does it? You’re still going to do it anyway.”

“Yeah, but…” Yume bit down on her bottom lip. A part of her wanted to ask him to come with her and resume his training, but she already knew what his answer would be. There was no point in even asking, so she gathered her things and threw her skate bag over her shoulder. “I guess I’ll see you later, then.”

“Yeah, later.”

*****

Mikhail’s words continued to echo in Yume’s mind for the rest of the day.

_That’s not the only reason._

What did he mean by that? Was there really another reason why Ekaterina had schemed to cause problems between them? And if so, was that why Mikhail kept pushing her away even though Yume suspected that he still cared about her? What was he so afraid of, anyway? No matter how much he denied it, Yume knew something was scaring him, something other than the fear of a broken heart.

Still not wanting to discuss things with Pilar and the others, she decided to skip dinner in the cafeteria and ordered takeout from a Japanese restaurant near the skating center on her way home from training. She ate alone in her dorm room, then headed down to the beach for a walk, half-disappointed and half-relieved to see that Mikhail had decided to forgo his usual habit of watching the sunset. She jogged along the shoreline for about fifteen minutes just in case he was running behind schedule, but when he had yet to appear even after the last rays of sun had dipped into the horizon, Yume gave up and headed back to her room.

After taking a long soak in the bath, she went to bed, but sleep was elusive. She tossed and turned for a couple of hours, unable to stop thinking about the conversation she had with Mikhail. Finally, Yume got back up and brewed herself a cup of tea, hoping that the chamomile would relax her enough to cure her insomnia.

She took a seat at the table in the kitchenette, relying only on the moonlight that flowed through the sliding glass doors for illumination, and tried to push all thoughts out of her mind as she sipped the hot drink. The crisp apple-like taste was pleasing on her tongue, and she soon calmed down, enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the midnight hour -- although it was not to last for long.

 _I wish Fool was here,_ Yume thought to herself, staring down at the tea leaves at the bottom of her empty tea bowl. Even if his fortune-telling was just a bunch of hocus-pocus nonsense, she was desperate enough to try almost anything to find some answers to the questions swimming around in her head.

Absent-mindedly, Yume twisted the bowl in her hands around three times, then flipped it over, draining it of the last bits of remaining liquid. She then peered again inside the upright bowl, laughing at herself when realized what she was doing.

“Yume, you are being ridiculous,” she lectured herself, pushing the bowl away and standing up. “You’re not going to get any answers by reading tea leaves, of all things.”

Yet…

With a roll of her eyes, she sat back down at the kitchen table and reached again for the tea bowl. Maybe she was being ridiculous, but Yume supposed it wouldn’t hurt to at least give it a shot -- not that she would ever admit that to Fool, should he ever choose to reappear.

However, she couldn’t make heads or tails out of the pictures the tea leaves supposedly made. They just looked like…well, normal tea leaves to her. Maybe, if she stretched her imagination, she could see something that might have been a gun, but it could have just as easily been a capital letter “L” turned on its side.

“L, L, L… For the Lover’s Maneuver, maybe?” she thought aloud. “But if it really is a gun… Bullet? Blood? Danger?” She shook her head, not liking where that train of thought was leading her. “No, it’s definitely an L,” Yume decided and turned her attention to another area of the cup.

The next image she spotted in the leaves was another letter turned on its side, this time a lower-case T…or maybe a cross? But she wasn’t particularly religious, so she tossed that thought aside. The letter “t” seemed wrong, too, as she couldn’t think of any words that began with “t” that might apply to her current situation except for Tatiana, but wouldn’t a capital “T” be more appropriate in that case? Besides, Mikhail had assured her several times that he no longer loved Tatiana, and despite her earlier doubts, she finally believed him.

Yume frowned, trying to think of what else it could be. There was a thin line cutting through the “t”/cross/whatever it was, making it look like it was cracked. It made her think of a broken arm, or perhaps a wing. Maybe a bird? Or a plane? Some kind of accident?

Again, she didn’t like what she was seeing.

“Oh, this is silly! I don‘t even know what I‘m doing,” Yume said, making a motion to stand up again, but something kept her glued to the chair. She decided to try looking in the bowl one more time, hoping that she found at least one symbol that was unambiguously positive. A heart would be nice; she remembered from one of Fool’s previous readings that hearts meant “love”.

There were no hearts in sight, though she did spot an umbrella, which boosted her spirits a little. After all, in Japan, sharing an umbrella was considered a romantic gesture. She remembered how her classmates often “forgot” their umbrellas at home on rainy days, just so that they could ask to walk home with their crushes, and it was a common sight to see love-struck girls drawing umbrellas with their names underneath it, similar to the more Western tradition of surrounding the names of a couple with a heart. 

But umbrellas were hardly an universal symbol of love. More likely it represented something like rain…or maybe tears? Yume shook her head, going back to the rain idea. Maybe it was warning her that she would get in an accident during a rainstorm? She failed to see how that had anything to do with her problems with Mikhail, however. Besides, it rarely rained in Cape Mary, and even when it did, it was usually just a light sprinkle.

No, Yume didn’t think that was it, but she couldn’t think of any other possible interpretations either, even after thinking about it for a good five minutes. A gun (or “L“), a broken wing, and an umbrella…

“I guess I’m just not cut out for fortune-telling,” she said, giving up and rinsing the tea leaves out of the bowl. It had been a stupid idea anyway.

Yume headed back to bed, but her head had barely hit the pillow when she sat back again, having found her answer. In fact, the answer was so obvious, she couldn’t believe that it took her so long to realize what was going on. 

“That has to be it!” she thought, grabbing her robe from the foot of the bed and dashing out of the room.

*****

As soon as the door to Mikhail’s dorm swung opened, Yume blurted out, “I understand it now. It all makes sense.”

Mikhail, who had obviously been woken up by her knocking, rubbed one of his eyes. “Yume, do you realize what time it is?”

“Yes.” Without waiting for an invitation to come in, she brushed past him and entered his dorm. Normally she wouldn’t be so rude, but she was determined to confront him and didn’t want to give him the chance to lock her out. “We need to talk.”

Mikhail sighed in resignation and closed the door behind her. “Fine, make yourself at home.”

Yume glanced around, looking for a place to sit. His dorm room was even messier than she remembered it, his couch buried underneath a pile of clothes, magazines, and assorted exercise equipment. “Do you ever clean in here?” she asked, shaking her head and deciding she’d rather remain standing. “Never mind. I didn‘t come here to discuss your housekeeping abilities.”

“Why _are_ you here? Couldn’t this have waited until morning?”

“Sorry, I just couldn’t sleep until I talked to you.” 

“About what?”

Yume turned back around to face him. “I figured it out,” she said. “I know what it is you are so afraid of.”

He scoffed. “I told you, I’m no--”

“It’s the Lovers’ Maneuver, isn’t it? That’s why you’ve been trying to push me away. You are afraid to perform the Lovers’ Maneuver.”

“Yume…” His voice was almost pleading for her to stop, confirming that she was on the right track.

“I knew it! You were hesitant to do it in the first place, but you agreed to it because you knew how much it meant to me. However, when your sister set me up to be caught with Sergei, you saw an opportunity to back out of it by claiming that you couldn’t trust me anymore, although you knew what happened wasn’t my fault.”

“T-That’s not --”

“Misha, stop it.” She stepped forward, reaching for his hands. “Please, stop shutting me out and tell me the truth. I’m right, aren’t I?”

Mikhail didn’t immediately reply. Yume sensed he was debating with himself over what to tell her. After a while, however, he pulled his hands away and asked, “Do you know what the Lovers’ Maneuver is?”

“No, of course not. Fool said he wasn’t going to tell us anything about the actual mechanics until he had judged us worthy, remember?” Yume frowned. “I don’t know why, but it seems really important that we don’t know until we’re ready. Even Merle and Sam were careful to make certain that we didn’t see each other’s special training.”

“But Katia did,” he said. “The truth is, when I went to see her right before she went back home, she confessed that’s the real reason why she ‘tested’ you. She had seen both of our training sessions, and from that, she was able to put the pieces together. She realized right away that the Lovers’ Maneuver was more than just merely dangerous; it was downright suicidal. That’s why Katia wanted to break us up -- to stop us from attempting it.”

So that‘s what he had meant earlier. Another one of her questions answered. Still… “Coach Palmer warned us about the risks the day we asked her to train us. You didn’t seem to mind that much at the time.”

“I thought she was just exaggerating, trying to convince us not to attempt it, you know? I knew it would be hard, and that there would probably be some risks, but I never imagined…”

His voice trailing off, Mikhail closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as if trying to compose himself before a big skate. However, when he opened them again, there was an enormous fear in those ice blue eyes that rarely showed emotion. Yume felt a small shiver run up her spine that had nothing to do with the light draft she had felt from the moment she entered the room, and she reached again for one of Mikhail’s hands.

They were shaking.

“Is it that bad?”

“I can’t do it, Yume,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I cannot ask you to put your life in danger like that just for the sake of some damn figure skating move. I won’t do it.”

“Shouldn’t that be partly my decision to make?” she asked. “Didn’t we agree that we would make all our major decisions together, like true partners?”

Mikhail stared at her as if she had lost her mind. “We aren’t talking about where to go on our next date, Yume,” he said. “This is about you risking your life on some silly maneuver, and I won’t let you do it!”

Yume released his hand, suddenly furious. “You won’t let me?”

“That came out wrong.”

“No, I think you said exactly what you meant to say.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “So all your talk about having an equal partnership, that was really just all talk? You never meant any of it?”

“Of course I meant it. I still do, but…” He shook his head in frustration. “Damn it, I’m trying to protect you! Can‘t you see that?” 

“I didn’t ask for your protection.”

“Maybe not, but I swore that I would never hurt you again.” He pulled Yume into her arms, her ear pressed up against his chest. His heartbeat was racing so fast, it was as if his heart had been replaced with a jackhammer. “I-I can’t lose you, Yume,” Mikhail said, his voice cracking a little as he tightened his embrace. “You are far too important to me.”

Her anger fading, Yume didn’t know quite what to say. She knew Mikhail still felt guilty about her accident during the throw triple axel, but she had never realized until that moment just how much it had affected him. “Misha…”

“Do you understand now? Why I don’t want to do the Lovers’ Maneuver?”

Yume nodded, then pulled away from his embrace. “But I still want to do it,” she declared, dead-serious, staring him straight in the eye.

“Yu--”

Before he could finish his protest, Yume placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. She did understand Mikhail’s apprehension over performing the Lovers‘ Maneuver, and she appreciated it, more than she could ever put into words, but she refused to let his fear dampen her own determination. 

“I understand why you don’t want to do it, but can you please at least try to understand why it is so important to me to perform the Lovers’ Maneuver?”

“Okay, fine. Tell me why you insist on putting your life in danger. Do you have some kind of death wish?” he asked, not joking in the least.

“Of course not!”

“Then why?”

Sighing, Yume turned her back to Mikhail, hugging herself. Despite what she had said, it was difficult to admit the truth, even to herself. “What I am about to tell you,” she said after a long pause, “I’ve never told anybody else before. I don’t even like to admit it to myself most of the time, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t deny it.”

She felt Mikhail come up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “What is it?” His voice was gentler than before.

“I love my sister; you know that, right?” she asked. “I’ve idolized her since I was five years old and old enough to remember seeing her perform at Kaleido Stage.” Remembering that day, Yume couldn’t resist a smile. “I still remember that show. It was Beauty and the Beast. Sora was Belle, of course, and Leon Oswald played opposite her as the Beast. I had never seen anything so incredible in my entire life. It was like…magic, and Sora was just so amazing. I couldn’t believe it.”

“Your sister is a remarkable performer.”

“She is,” Yume agreed, losing her smile, “and that’s why I’m jealous of her.”

“Jealous?” Mikhail turned her around. “Why are you jealous of Sora? Yume, you are a wonderful performer in your own right,” he said. “I saw the tape of you at All-Japan, and I was awed by your ability to make the audience forget about your mistakes in the beginning by sheer strength of your performance alone. You looked so beautiful and free… All I am is my technique. Had I made as many mistakes as you, I probably would have given up in the middle of the program, but not you. You… What’s that American idiom? You took lemons and made lemonade. That was the thing I admired most about you.”

“Thanks,” she said, her cheeks flushed at the compliment. “Still, I was never able to reach Sora’s level, no matter how hard I tried. Do you remember the first time you took me to the beach, the night of Clarissa‘s birthday party?”

Mikhail smiled. “Yes, of course I do. I’ll never forget it. After all, that was the night we shared our first kiss.”

Yume had nearly forgotten about that part, so focused on her story, and blushed even brighter. “Besides that, remember how I told you the reason why I chose figure skating over gymnastics was because I felt destined to be a skater?”

“That’s not true?”

“It is, but it’s not the whole story,” she confessed, her eyes downcast. “The truth is, I quit gymnastics because I knew I would never be as good as Sora. I just didn’t have the talent.”

“Hey, there’s no shame in that.” He lifted up her chin. “People are good at different things. Sora may have been the better gymnast, but you are by far the better figure skater. I’ve seen that recording of when Coach Wong played Mina Murray in Dracula. Your sister was good, but nowhere near your level on the ice.”

“Did Coach Wong also happen to mention that Sora learned to skate just weeks before the show?”

At that revelation, Mikhail seemed a little more impressed. “She was that good after only a couple of weeks on the ice? At sixteen years old?”

Yume rolled her eyes. “See? If she had continued with her skating, she would have even been a better skater than me. I’m just lucky that she never had more than a fleeting interest in it.”

“Yume, you’re being silly. You don’t know that. Besides, you and your sister aren’t in some kind of competition.”

She sighed, realizing how ridiculous she must sound. “I know, and I don’t want to compete with Sora. I really don’t. I love her and admire her a lot for all that she’s accomplished, but…”

“You want to prove to yourself that you can be just as great a performer as your sister,” he completed, and Yume nodded, glad he seemed to understand.

“And it’s not only that. Whenever Sora talks about performing the Legendary Great Maneuver and the Angel’s Maneuver, it’s like she’s describing…I don’t know, a religious experience, or something. I’ve always want to feel something like that. I thought I had at All-Japan, but now I think that was only just a taste of what could happen if we actually pulled off the Lovers’ Maneuver,” she said. “Don’t you want to share that kind of experience with me?”

“What I want is to keep you safe.”

“I will be.”

“How can you say that, after what happened with the throw triple axel?”

“Because I trust you with my life,” Yume declared, and then she kissed him.

Soft at first, the kiss grew more passionate as Mikhail began to respond to her touch. All thoughts of their current argument faded away, replaced by a fiery need that Yume feared might consume her if she held it in any longer. She truly did trust Mikhail with her life; he would do anything in his power to keep her safe from harm. That knowledge gave her courage to not only tackle the Lovers’ Maneuver, but to give herself completely to him as well -- heart, body, and soul.

Her heart pounding in anticipation, Yume’s fingers moved downward toward the hem of his plain white undershirt. Mikhail sucked in a sharp breath, realizing what she was planning to do, and reached for her hands. Not a word was spoken between them, but the look in his eyes as he looked down at her clearly asked, “Are you sure about this?” In reply, Yume pushed the shirt up his torso and pulled it over his head before slipping out of her robe, leaving her only in her camisole and shorts.

Yume expected to experience some nerves right before her first time, but she felt strangely calm about what was about to happen, not even a hint of a butterfly fluttering in her stomach. It was the more practiced Mikhail whose hands shook as they roamed up her bared arms, sending pleasant shivers up her spine.

“Do you really want to do this?” he asked is a soft voice. He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. 

She nodded her consent, and Mikhail swept her into his arms, carrying her the short distance from the living room to his open bedroom. He closed the door behind them with his hip, then gently set Yume down in the middle the unmade bed. Moonlight trickled through the curtains above the bed, providing the only illumination in the room until Mikhail turned on the lamp on the nightstand table and began rummaging through a mishmash of miscellaneous items in the drawer. When he found what he was looking for, he tossed the small foil-wrapped package on the table, then turned his attention back to Yume as he stripped off his pajama pants. She followed suit, taking off the rest of her clothes and tossing them on the floor.

After slipping on the condom, Mikhail joined Yume on the bed and situated himself between her legs. “You are so beautiful,” he said, trailing feather light kisses down her neck and chest. 

Yume let out a low moan, squirming with barely-contained excitement underneath him. She wanted to feel him inside of her, yet Mikhail seemed content to take his time, preferring to explore almost every inch of her body with a combination of his hands and mouth. His hot breath warmed her cool skin, only inflaming her desire even more.

Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and tried to relax. There was no need to rush. It was her first time, and Yume wanted to remember everything… Every kiss, every touch, every murmur of her name on Mikhail’s lips… Even his scent -- a mixture of soap, shampoo, and some fragrance that could only be described as distinctly his -- left its mark on her, a memory that she knew she would never forget for as long as she lived.

She particularly enjoyed when he played with her nipples: tweaking them, licking them, sucking them. Her breasts were small, but they were quite sensitive to the touch. As he continued kissing her chest, Yume buried her fingers in his hair and lightly tugged at the roots, a move he seemed to like judging by the sounds he made. His reaction emboldened her to lower her hands further, running them over his back and shoulders.

Eventually, Mikhail turned his attention away from her breasts, his mouth moving down her stomach to the inside of her thigh. Her pulse began to race, and Yume found it difficult to breathe, a feeling that reminded her of her first time taking the ice for a major competition. She dug her fingers into the cotton bedsheet as Mikhail’s kisses reached their ultimate destination, panting as the sensation growing inside of her grew more and more intense.

“Misha…” she whimpered, unsure how much more of his teasing she could take. “Please…”

Mikhail abruptly stopped what he had been doing and lifted himself a couple of inches off of her. “What is it? Is this too much? Do you want to stop?”

Yume shook her head. That was the exact opposite of what she wanted. “I want to be one with you. I’m ready.”

“Are you positive?” he asked one more time, staring down at her. “I know it’s your first time, and it may hurt a little…”

“I trust you,” she said, reaching up to caress his cheek. “Completely.”

“Yume…”

“Can you trust me, too?”

He didn’t answer, but it didn’t matter as Mikhail caught her lips in a long lingering kiss and finally melted into her.

*****

Yume was the first to awaken the next morning, Mikhail’s arms still wrapped around her like a protective cocoon. She smiled to herself, remembering what had happened between them. Making love to Mikhail had been even better than she had imagined, and she wanted nothing more at that moment than to stay forever in his warm embrace. Unfortunately, a glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand table informed her that it was almost time for the other skaters and performers who lived at the dorms to start getting up for breakfast. If she didn’t want to be caught sneaking out of Mikhail’s room -- Pilar in particular would want to know all the details if she knew they had spent the night together -- she needed to head back to her own dorm.

Being careful not to awaken Mikhail, who was still sleeping so peacefully, Yume untangled herself from his arms and reached for her discarded clothes on the floor to get dressed. She had just pulled her camisole over her head when she felt the mattress shift beneath her as Mikhail rolled over on his side.

“Hey, where are you going?” His just-woken-up voice was low, husky, and incredibly sexy.

“I need to go back to my place. You know Marion doesn’t allow sleepovers. If I leave now, we might not get caught.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re both consenting adults. What is Marion going to do about it anyway? Kick the stars of the new show out of the dorms? I doubt it.” He moved behind her, one of his hands traveling underneath her camisole to cup a small breast while the other slipped in between her legs. “Besides, it’s Sunday. No practice,” he reminded her, his mouth right next to her ear. “We can spend the entire day together if we want, making love in this bed…”

Yume moaned as he brushed a thumb over one of her erect nipples. She had to admit, it was a tempting suggestion…

She turned around to face Mikhail, straddling his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her mouth found his, thirsting for more of the kisses to which she had grown addicted. He placed his hands on her bare buttocks and lightly squeezed the cheeks, causing Yume to let out a high-pitched squeal.

Laughing, the two of them fell back on the bed. Mikhail rolled on top of her, taking the dominant position, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Yume let out another loud moan, feeling herself becoming more and more aroused. However, when she caught another sight of the alarm clock out of the corner of her eye, she reluctantly pushed Mikhail off of her and climbed out of bed. As much as she would have loved to take him up on his offer, she remembered that did have other plans for the day.  
\  
Confused, Mikhail swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat back up. “Yume?”

“Sorry, but I really do have to go,” she said with much regret, shimmying to pull her shorts up over her hips. “I forgot that I still have special training for the Lovers’ Maneuver to do today. Coach Parker is expecting me.”  
\  
“Oh.”

The mention of the Lovers’ Maneuver was like a bomb, killing the happy mood between them. Until that moment, Yume had forgotten the main reason she had come to Mikhail’s room in the first place, and judging by his reaction, he had as well.

Taking a deep breath, she sat down beside him on the bed and reached for his hand. “I really want to do this,” she said. “With you, Misha. You know I can‘t do it on my own. The Lovers‘ Maneuver requires a partner.”

“But it’s so dangerous. If something were to happen to you, I-I…” He shook his head, unable to put his fears into words.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You can’t know that for certain, Yume.”

“Maybe not, but I believe in myself, and I believe in you.” She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “You know, you never did answer my question last night. I trust you, but do you trust me?”

For a long moment, Mikhail didn’t say anything, and Yume unconsciously began holding her breath, anxious yet afraid to hear his answer. Had she continued with her training for nothing? She wanted to perform the Lovers’ Maneuver almost more than anything, but she couldn’t force Mikhail to do something he didn’t want to do. Maybe it would be better just to forget about it, after all…

Her body relaxed when he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “You really want this, don’t you?”

Yume nodded. “But you have to want it, too,” she said, looking up at him. “Don’t just agree to do this because of me, and don‘t agree if you don‘t believe I will survive. Remember what Coach Palmer told us the day we asked her to train us?”

“Yes, she said we had to have absolute faith in our partner.”

“And do you? Do you believe in me?”

“Yes, I do,” Mikhail said, that time without even a hint of hesitation, and kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s do it, Yume. Let’s perform the Lovers’ Maneuver together.”

“Really? You really want to do it?” When he nodded, Yume couldn’t contain her excitement, throwing her arms around him and knocking them both flat back on the bed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Mikhail laughed, hugging her tightly. “No, thank you for not giving up on us. I’m sorry I was such a jerk. I never should have doubted you.”

“I’m just glad we’ve worked this out. I was so afraid that we would never get back together. I don’t want to even imagine…” She shook her head, pushing those unpleasant thoughts away. “Now there’s just one final problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Fool.” In her excitement, she had almost forgotten that he had yet to reappear. “He’s the only one who knows what the Lovers’ Maneuver actually is, but if we can no longer see him…”

“Did somebody call for me?”

Yume and Mikhail, at the sound of the suspiciously familiar voice, both shot back upright. Sure enough, Fool stood suspended the air in front of them, a smirk on his face. “It’s about time you two got back together,” he said. “It’s been so boring, having nobody to talk to these last few -- Oof!”

“Fool!” Yume grabbed him around the waist and held him to her chest in the closest approximation of a hug she could give, considering their extreme difference in size. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized just how much she had missed the perverted Spirit of the Stage. “You came back!”

“Um, not that I don’t appreciate the view,” Fool mumbled, his face buried in the fabric of her camisole, “but…”

She released her hold on him. “Oh… Sorry.”

“It’s fine. On the other hand…” He pointedly stared down at the still-naked Mikhail’s crotch. “That is one view I definitely don’t appreciate.”

“Hmm, jealous?” Mikhail asked, reaching for a pillow to cover himself.

Fool huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Me, jealous? No, not at all. Why, when I was full-sized, Fool Junior was even --”

“Okay, I do _not_ want to hear about Fool Junior,” Yume exclaimed, handing Mikhail some clothes to put on. “I do want to know if we’ve qualified for the Lovers’ Maneuver yet, though. I mean…” She blushed. “Well, we are true lovers now.”

“You think having sex makes you real lovers?” Fool rolled his eyes. “Sex in the most basic terms is just a pleasurable activity that can result in procreation, nothing more. You don’t need to be in love to have sex.”

“I know that, but still… What more do we need to do to qualify? The show opens in less than a week. Everyone is depending on us to be able to perform it on opening day. Mia choreographed another ending we can use if we can‘t do the Lovers‘ Maneuver, but the audience will be expecting to see it. I don‘t want to let them down.”

“We won’t,” Mikhail declared, coming up beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist. He was now dressed in a pair of jeans.

“You sound awfully confident for somebody who has yet to be judged qualified,” Fool said. “I will say this, though -- if Yume gets through today’s training session with Merle, she will have fulfilled all her needed qualifications.”

“I’m that close?” Yume asked. Merle had mentioned something about entering the final phase of their training, but she wasn’t expecting Fool to qualify her so soon. “But what about Misha?”

“I stopped training, so of course I‘m behind,” Mikhail reminded her, running a hand through his messy hair. “I just hope Sam will agree to coach me again after I stopped coming to practices…”

“He will. He has to.”

“I hope you’re right.”


	30. The Lovers' Maneuver

Sam Palmer was happy to resume training Mikhail, but in order to prepare him to perform the Lovers' Maneuver on such a tight deadline, Mikhail had to train almost non-stop. Chances were, unless he was eating or sleeping, he was on the ice at the Palmers' rink. Yume rarely saw him. Though Mikhail had a good idea of what the Lovers' Maneuver was thanks to his sister, Merle and Sam still refused to let Yume watch as he trained, so all she could do was work on perfecting her part in the show and continue to keep up with her own training.

One of the things she worked on was a scene Mia had revised after deciding that the final confrontation between Princess Seraphina and the evil Queen Luna, played by Rosetta Passel, wasn't dynamic enough. Since Yume had a background in gymnastics and Rosetta was a former diabolo world champion, Mia thought it would be interesting to stage the battle as a floor routine/diabolo showdown. She'd even had Jean rig up a temporary floor that would slide out to cover the center part of the ice in order allow them to perform.

Despite the fact that she had not seriously trained in gymnastics for several years (other than the occasional on-ice backflip), Yume was surprised how much her body still remembered. There were a couple of difficult passes she struggled with, but for the most part, she memorized the new routine quite easily.

"Good work, you two," Mia said, clapping after Yume and Rosetta had completed their fifth run-through of the new routine. "That was the best one yet! Yume, watch the landing on the double layout-half twist. You messed that up again, but those Arabian double pikes were great. Oh, and Rosetta, you were fantastic as always, but one of your diabolo came close to hitting Yume. Make sure to be more careful next time. You may be trying to kill Seraphina in this scene, but don't actually hurt Yume, okay? Otherwise, we won't have a show!"

"Will do!" Rosetta promised, handing Yume a towel after Mia announced a five minute break. "Sorry about that, Yume. I misjudged how close you were to me."

Yume shook her head as she sat back up from her laying position on the floor. "No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have gotten so close," she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Can you remind me again why we agreed to go along with this crazy idea of Mia's when opening day is so close?"

"I think it'll be fun when everything comes together. It's been a while since I've performed diabolo in a show."

"It doesn't look like it. You're just as amazing as you were in _Beauty and the Beast_!"

"Thanks." Rosetta grabbed her water bottle from the barrier and took a big swig. "You're doing pretty well, yourself. Who knew you were such a great figure skater _and_ gymnast? Talent really does run in the Naegino family."

Yume blushed. "I'm still not as good as Sora, though. She's the one who is truly amazing."

"I still can't believe she's leaving the stage," Rosetta said with a sigh. "I'm going to miss performing with her. After all, Sora was the one who inspired me to take up the trapeze." She frowned, staring at Yume. "You know, you should think about giving it a try sometime, too."

"What? Me, on the trapeze?"

"Sure, why not? You and Sora have a similar body type, and you're good at doing complicated twists and turns."

"On the ice," Yume reminded her. "I don't know if I could do the same on the trapeze."

"I think you could." By that time, Mia called out that their break was over. "That's our cue," Rosetta said, offering a hand and helping Yume back up. "At least think about it, okay? You never know unless you try."

* * *

Later that night, Yume was laying on her bed after taking a bath, thinking about what Rosetta's suggestion. Her, a trapeze artist? True, it had once been her dream to follow in Sora's footsteps and become a true Kaleido Star, but she had given up on that dream a long time ago when she had decided to dedicate herself to figure skating.

She rolled over on her stomach and looked up at the poster that hung right above her headboard. Sora's smiling face beamed down at her like an angel. _There's no way I would ever be as good as Sora on the trapeze,_ Yume thought, frowning. It was a ridiculous idea, yet…

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Wondering who it could be so late at night, Yume pulled a robe over her Kaleido Stage nightshirt and went to answer it.

"I passed!" Mikhail blurted out as soon as Yume swung open the door. His cheeks were flushed, and he appeared slightly out of breath.

"Misha? Wha-"

"I did it, Yume. I passed!" He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and kissed Yume on the forehead. "Sam and Merle just told me. I've completed all my training for the Lovers' Maneuver, and they say I've passed."

"Oh, my - You've qualified?" Letting out a high-pitched squeal, Yume threw her arms around his neck and jumped up to wrap her legs around his waist. "I can't believe it!"

"You doubted I could do it?"

Yume shook her head. "Not at all. You said you would, so I knew that you could do it. Still, it's amazing!" She kissed him full on the lips. "You're amazing!"

"Don't get too excited just yet," he said, setting her feet - and her hopes - back down on the ground. "Sam and Merle may think I've finished my training, but Fool says I still haven't fully qualified to perform the Lovers' Maneuver."

"What? But why not?" she asked, confused. "I thought all you needed to do was complete the training regimen in order to qualify."

"I thought so, too, but apparently there's one more thing I need to do before Fool will judge us qualified."

"What is it? Opening day is just three days away. Will you be able to do it in time?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Yume, but I have no idea. I tried asking Fool, but all he said was that it wouldn't mean anything if he told me what to do."

"Then _I'll_ try asking him," Yume huffed, rolling up the sleeves of her robe and pushing past him to get to the door. They were so close! This was not the time for Fool to be playing Mr. Mysterious. "Where is he? In your room?"

"Wait." He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her in place. "Can't that wait until tomorrow? It's been a while since we've been able to…be together."

Yume's cheeks warmed, understanding immediately what he meant by "be together". Ever since that first night, Mikhail had been too busy with his training to spend any real quality time with her, and she had to admit, already the bed felt empty without him sleeping beside her.

"Well, I guess I can talk to Fool in the morning," she said, turning back around to face him.

Lifting up her chin, Mikhail kissed her tenderly on the mouth. A pleasant shiver ran up Yume's back in anticipation of what was to come. Mikhail's hands pulled apart her robe and pushed it downwards until it fell in a heap on the floor. Realizing the threshold was perhaps not the best location for what they were about to do, she took him by the hand and silently led him towards her bedroom.

There, Mikhail sat down on the edge of the mattress, while Yume remained mostly standing, positioning herself in between his spread legs. They continued where they had left off, kissing and caressing each other's bodies. Reaching downward, Yume grabbed the bottom hem of his sweatshirt and yanked it over his head.

It was only then that she noticed the tiny red marks that dotted his arms. For skaters, they were not an unfamiliar sight. Blood vessels had a tendency to burst while performing very fast spins - usually incorrectly - but Yume had never seen so many at one time. His arms were almost more red than anything else.

"Misha…"

She brushed a finger over some of them, causing Mikhail to flinch. "It's nothing," he said, standing back up and running a hand through his hair. "You know, I should probably freshen up first. I ran straight here from the rink. Mind if I borrow your shower?"

"Oh, uh, sure, go ahead," Yume said. "Use whatever you need."

"Thanks."

Mikhail entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him, Yume hearing the muffled sound of running water a few moments later. Sighing, she took his place on the bed and frowned as she thought about the dots on his arms. Were they the result of his Lovers' Maneuver training? He must have been doing some incredibly high-speed spins to break so many blood vessels.

She wished Fool would tell them what the Lovers' Maneuver was. What else did Mikhail need to do for them to fully qualify? It was obvious that he had pushed himself physically to the max in order to finish the training before opening day of the show, but would it end up being all for nothing? What if he pushed himself too far?

"Yume?"

Yume glanced up. Lost in thought, she hadn't heard Mikhail come back into the room. He stood in front of her, hair wet and dressed only in a towel wrapped around his waist. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, forcing her questions to the back of her mind. There was nothing she could do about it tonight. Standing up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

She didn't have to ask him twice.

* * *

"He told you he loved you?"

It was the next morning, and Clarissa had just finished telling Yume and the others about her romantic dinner date with Jason Kerry the previous night.

"I was just as surprised as you are," Clarissa said, pausing to take a quick bite of her scrambled eggs and a sip of orange juice. "I mean, Jason and I have only been going out for a couple of weeks, but…it feels right, you know?"

Did you say you loved him, too?" Pilar asked.

A faint blush colored Clarissa's cheeks, and she nodded.

"That's fantastic, Clarissa!" Zoe said. The one-time unknowing rival for Jason's affections was nothing but smiles upon hearing the news, proving once and for all that she never returned his feelings. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Yeah, you two make such a great couple," Yume added. Now that she and Mikhail had reconciled, she no longer felt envious of Clarissa's new romance and was glad to see her friend so blissfully in love.

"Aw, man…" Pilar let out a huge sigh, propping her chin in her hand. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled for you, too, but first Yume and Mikhail, now you and Jason… It's not fair. Why did I have to be stuck with the gay partner?"

Clarissa playfully bumped shoulders with Pilar, who sat right beside her. "Come on, you know you love being Sergei's partner. You two always look like you're having a blast whenever you are together on the ice."

Pilar smiled. "That's true. Still…" She turned her attention to Yume. "Speaking of 'I love yous', you never told us your story, Yume. Who was the first to say it, you or Mikhail?"

Startled by the question, Yume almost choked on the piece of omelet she had just put in her mouth. "Oh, uh…"

"Pilar, must you always be so nosy about everything? If Yume hasn't told us, then she probably wants to keep it private."

"It's not like I'm asking for all the intimate details, Clarissa. I'm just curious, that's all," Pilar said, pointing a fork in Yume's direction. "You have said it, haven't you?"

Yume brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "Y-Yes, I've said it…"

"But he hasn't?" Pilar winced. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to hit a sore spot."

"No, it's okay."

"That's right," Becca said. "Even if he hasn't said it yet, that doesn't mean Mikhail doesn't love Yume. He's probably just waiting for a special moment."

"Yeah. All you have to do is watch them skate together to know they're in love," Zoe said.

"But they haven't been ska-" Pilar slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing what she was about to say. "Damn it, I really do have a big mouth sometimes. Sorry, Yume."

"It's fine, Pilar, really." Yume had grown accustomed to Pilar saying whatever thought that entered her mind, no matter how inappropriate it may be. "We're passed all that, and now that Misha has finished his training for the Lovers' Manuever, he'll be returning to our regular rehearsals." Yume looked forward to skating together again. In Mikhail's absence, she'd been skating with Sergei, who had been named his understudy for the show, but it just wasn't the same.

"Well, that's good to hear, although you never did tell us why -" A swift kick under the table from Clarissa stopped Pilar mid-sentence. "Okay, fine, fine," Pilar said, holding her hands up in mock-surrender. "I get the point. No more nosy questions!"

Yume shot Clarissa a grateful smile. The last person she wanted to tell about what happened was Pilar, worried that it would cause problems between her and Sergei. Yume had mostly forgiven Sergei for his role in Ekaterina's scheme, so it was best to let bygones be bygones.

But Pilar's question did give her pause. Even though they had gotten back together, Mikhail still hadn't told her that he loved her. Yume hadn't thought about it much, coming from a culture where people tended not to say those words so lightly, but was it so strange that he hadn't said it yet? Or were Clarissa and Jason simply moving too fast in their relationship, making for an unfair comparison?

"Yume, are you feeling okay?" Elizaveta asked in a quiet voice, breaking Yume away from her thoughts. The other girls had moved on to another topic of conversation.

"W-What? Yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"You seemed a little… How do you say it? Shaked out?"

"Shaked out? Oh, do you mean 'spaced out'?"

"Yes, that's it." Elizaveta pointed to Yume's half-eaten breakfast. "You've been poking at your food for the past couple of minutes with this strange look on your face. Is there something wrong with your omelet?"

"No, it's delicious," Yume said, setting her fork down. "I've just lost my appetite, I guess. Must be nervous about the show." She glanced over at the table where the male skaters were sitting and saw Mikhail standing up to leave. "Actually, I need to get going," she said, following his lead. "Uh… Coach Wong wanted us to come to practice a little earlier to go over a few things. See you later."

After throwing away her trash, Yume followed Mikhail out of the cafeteria and caught up with him, taking him by surprise when she linked one of her arms through his and kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh, hey, Yume. What was that for?"

"Oh, nothing," she said airily. "I just felt like kissing the man I love, that's all. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

He smiled, pulling her closer toward him and landing a peck on the top of her head. "Of course not," he said. "You didn't need to leave breakfast early, though. Rehearsal doesn't officially start for another forty minutes."

"I know, but… Where are you heading?"

"The rink. I thought I'd get in a little more training for the Lovers' Maneuver before the others got on the ice."

"Oh." Yume frowned, thinking of the red spots on his arms. "Then I probably shouldn't come with you, right? We're not supposed to see each other's training regimen, although I know yours involves spinning."

Mikhail self-consciously rubbed the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "I should have known you would figure it out."

"It was pretty obvious once I saw those marks. You must have been spinning very fast."

"I can handle it," he said. "Don't worry about it."

Of course, saying that almost guaranteed she _was_ going to worry about it, but Yume forced herself to smile. "I know you can," she said with as much confidence as she could muster. "I'll let you train in private, then. I need to work a little more on my floor routine anyway."

"Okay. See you at rehearsal." He kissed her one more time on the forehead upon reaching the point where they would go their separate ways, then turned in the direction of the rink.

Despite what she said, Yume was tempted to follow him, curious to see just what his training entailed, but she shook her head and pushed that thought out of her mind. She had something more important she needed to do anyway.

She exited the main building and headed back to the dorms to talk to Fool. It had been decided after he had reappeared that he would once again stay with Mikhail, so she went up to his floor and pulled out the key Mikhail had accidentally left behind in her room that morning.

"Fool? Are you here?" she asked upon entering the dorm and closing the door behind her.

The Spirit of the Stage hovered above the coffee table in the center of the living room, looking down at what appeared to be a magazine. Upon Yume's entrance, however, he covered the magazine with a nearby pillow and took a seat on top of it. "Y-Yume, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, Yume walked over to the table and snatched the pillow away to reveal the _Sports Illustrated_ swimsuit issue he had hidden underneath. "Seriously?"

"It's the best I could find," Fool said with a frown, "since I still haven't been able to find Mikhail's porn stash…"

"What makes you so certain he has one?"

"He is a guy, isn't he?"

Yume sighed and tossed the magazine to the side. "We need to talk, Fool," she said, plopping down on the couch.

"Wait, is this some sort of intervention? I'm telling you, it's perfectly natural fo-"

"This isn't about you. It's about Mikhail. What more does he need to do to qualify to perform the Lovers' Maneuver?"

"Sorry, Yume. Like I told Mikhail, it's something he needs to realize himself."

"But we're running out of time. Even if you can't tell Misha, why can't I know? Then maybe I could give him some hints…"

"That's exactly why. You can't force this kind of thing. It should just happen…naturally."

"Argh! You're no help at all," she groaned, throwing the pillow at him and just missing him by a few centimeters.

"Hey, there's no need for violence," Fool said, flying to float in front of her face. "Listen, don't worry about it, Yume. There's nothing you can do, so just focus on getting ready for the show for now."

"B-But -"

"I have a feeling that everything will work out on its own."

"Is that one of your so-called 'predictions'?"

"No, just a gut feeling."

* * *

Yume wished she could trust Fool's "gut feeling", but by the end of the final rehearsal the day before the show's opening, Mikhail had yet to be deemed fully qualified to perform the Lovers' Maneuver. For the finale, they practiced the alternate ending Mia had choreographed just in case, although the perfectionist director was far from satisfied with what she considered the inferior number despite the fact that they had performed it cleanly with no mistakes.

"Well, I guess that will have to do," Mia said. "Good work, everyone, especially you two." She placed a hand on both Yume's and Mikhail's shoulders. "Yume, you didn't make a single mistake on any of the technical elements, and Mikhail, that was your most convincing performance yet. The big day is tomorrow, so make sure to get plenty of rest. I know some of you will be tempted to practice until the last possible second, but it's important not to overexert yourself. Save all that energy for when it really matters."

Hand-in-hand, Yume and Mikhail skated off the ice and took a seat in the bleachers to take off their skates. "This totally sucks," Yume declared, bending down to untie her laces. "There's no more time left. Why won't Fool just qualify you already?"

"I don't know," Mikhail said in a low voice. "I've tried to think of what I may be missing, but nothing comes to mind."

"But there has to be something! Maybe we should talk to Coach Palmer. She might know what it is."

"I doubt it. She and her former partner never fully qualified, either, remember?"

"Oh, right." She'd almost forgotten that Merle's partner had died before they ever had the chance to perform the Lovers' Maneuver. "Well, what about my sister? She may have some idea…" Yume's voice trailed off, realizing that was dumb suggestion. Even if Sora had passed Fool's qualification tests before, the qualifications for the Lovers' Maneuver were bound to be different. Besides, Fool had told her it was something Mikhail had to realize himself - whatever that was supposed to mean.

"Damn it," he swore, yanking his left skate off his foot. "All that training, and it's going to amount to nothing." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Maybe I'm just not meant to be your partner…"

"Misha, don't say that." Yume slid closer toward him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're the only partner I ever want, both on and off the ice."

"But what if I never qualify to do the Lovers' Maneuver? I know how important it was for you."

"You're _more_ important to me," she said. "Of course it'll be disappointing if we never get the chance to perform it, but as long as we're together, I'll be happy."

"Yume…"

Standing back up, Yume offered her hand to him. "Enough worrying about it," she said, smiling as not to let on just how disappointed she really was. Mikhail was already feeling guilty enough. "Come on, let's do something to take our minds off things for a little while."

He looked up in surprise. "Don't you have plans? I thought your parents were supposed to be arriving from Japan today."

"They are, but not until really late. My mother said not to worry about meeting them at the airport, since I'll probably already be asleep by then."

Mikhail quickly finished changing into his sneakers, then took Yume's hand and jumped to his feet. "What did you have in mind?" he asked, throwing his skate bag over his shoulder.

"Hmm, we could watch a movie," she suggested as they left the rink. She wrapped an arm around his middle, snuggling close. "Pilar lent me a Blu-Ray of _The Cutting Edge_ the other day. I've never seen it before, but Pilar says all figure skaters are required to watch it at least once in their lives."

"I'm not really in the mood for a movie."

Yume mentally bonked herself on the head. If she wanted to get his mind off the Lovers' Maneuver, suggesting they watch a skating movie was probably not the best idea. "How about going out to eat, then? Clarissa was just raving about this new French restaurant Jason took her to. The food is supposed to be really delicious."

"I'm not hungry right now, either. Maybe we can go another time."

"Oh, okay. Marine Park?"

"Too crowded."

She was quickly running out of date ideas. "Well, I guess we can always just stay in," she said. "I can think of one or two things we can do to pass the time…"

"Actually, I think I'd rather be alone for a while," Mikhail said, pulling away. "I'm sorry, Yume. I know you're trying to make me feel better, but I don't think I'll be very good company right now."

"Misha…"

"Go hang out with your friends. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

He turned toward her and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll come by your room a little later," he said. "Maybe then I'll feel like watching a movie or going out to eat."

"Promise?" Yume didn't like the idea of leaving Mikhail alone when he was feeling so down, but she was beginning to understand that sometimes he needed some private time to process things.

"Promise."

* * *

Yume spent the rest of the afternoon in her dorm room, watching the movie Pilar had lent her by herself.

As the credits began to play, Yume turned it off and let out a sigh. She liked the movie well enough, but watching Kate and Doug fall in love and win the Olympic gold by performing the impossible Pamchenko Twist hit a little too close to home. If only real life was like a movie…

She pushed open the sliding doors leading out to the balcony and stepped outside. As it was late July, the California heat was almost blistering, but a light ocean breeze provided some much-needed relief. Yume leaned against the railing and looked down at the beach below, thinking it might be nice to go for a swim.

The beach was deserted, save for a lone figure sitting on a sand dune some distance away. Shielding her eyes from the bright sun, Yume squinted, wondering who the person was. The figure appeared to be a blond-haired male, but he was too far away to determine more than that. "Misha?" she wondered aloud.

She went back inside her dorm and changed into a pair of cut-off shorts and a tank top. She then headed down to the beach, jogging over to where the man sat. As she suspected, it was Mikhail, who gave her a small smile when he spotted her.

"Hey, feeling better?" Yume asked, taking a seat beside him on the sand dune.

Mikhail sat back on his hands. "Not really," he said, his smile disappearing.

"Misha, it's not that big of a-"

He shook his head, even before she could finish her sentence. "Don't say that. I know you're lying. You're the one who wanted to perform the Lovers' Maneuver the most, but because I'm lacking -"

"You're not 'lacking' anything!"

"According to Fool, I am." He dug his fingers into the sand. "Tell me, Yume, what do you have that I don't? Is it a connection to the audience? I know you're a better performer than I am…"

"But you've really improved your performance level as of late," Yume reminded him, linking one of her arms through his and resting her head on his shoulder. "Even Mia was impressed with your portrayal of Frost at the last rehearsal. If you weren't a good enough performer, I don't think Fool would have ever appeared to you in the first place."

"Then what is it? It's driving me crazy that I can't figure it out."

"Misha… There's no rush. I know everybody was hoping we would be ready by opening day of the show, but it doesn't really matter when we do the Lovers' Maneuver. We can take a break, and maybe after a while -"

"But what if I'm never ready? What if Fool never says I'm qualified?" Mikhail said, interrupting her. "Would you really be okay with that, Yume? Are you sure you want me as your partner?"

"I told you already that you are the only partner I want."

"Even if it means that you will never be able to perform the Lovers' Maneuver?"

"I…" Yume paused, uncertain as to how to answer. Was being with Mikhail worth the possibility that she might never reach her goal, to prove to herself that she was just as much a star as Sora?

"Yeah, I thought so," Mikhail said with a sigh, standing back up.

"Misha, wait." She jumped to her feet and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I love you - nothing will ever change that, okay?"

"But what about -"

"It doesn't matter," she said, tightening her hold on him. "I won't lie and say I wouldn't be disappointed if we were never able to do the Lovers' Maneuver, but if you weren't in my life anymore… I would be even more devastated."

"Yume…" He gently disengaged himself from her embrace and turned around to face her. "Are you sure?"

Yume threw her arms around his neck and kissed him in reply. "Does that answer your question? _Aishiteru_ , Misha. I love you so, so much."

Smiling, Mikhail reached up and caressed her cheek. "I- I love you, too, Yume. _Ya lyublyu tebya vsem serdtsem_."

Her heart bursting with happiness, Yume craned her neck upwards as Mikhail leaned forward for another kiss, but before their lips could meet, she saw something sparkling out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head toward the light, causing Mikhail to kiss her on the top of her head instead, and gasped when she saw what - or more precisely, who - it was.

"Fool?"

The glowing Spirit of the Stage threw out his arms, bowing slightly. "Congratulations, Mikhail and Yume," he said. "You've just been judged worthy of learning the secrets of the Lovers' Maneuver."

For a long moment, neither of them reacted. Yume was afraid to believe it, discreetly pinching herself on the arm to make certain that she wasn't dreaming. Her eyes watered in a mixture of pain and joy, and she brought a hand to her mouth as Mikhail stepped forward.

"W-What?" he stuttered. "I qualified? B-But how? I don't understand…"

"The Lovers' Maneuver requires two things: absolute trust and an honest declaration of love," Fool explained, rolling his eyes. "You should have just told her how you felt a long time ago, you bozo!"

Looking back, Mikhail caught Yume's eye, and the two of them burst out laughing. Out of all the possible things…

"So, are you ready to hear what the Lovers' Maneuver is all about?" Fool asked when their laughter died down. "This is your last chance to back out. If you have any doubts, this is the moment to admit them."

Yume drew in a sharp breath. She had no doubts, but she couldn't be positive that Mikhail didn't. She relaxed, however, when she felt Mikhail reach for her hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

"We're ready," they said in unison.

* * *

It was almost time for the final act to begin.

Yume and Mikhail stood behind the barrier gate that led onto the ice, watching as all the other skaters performed an elaborate ensemble number. The two of them had changed into their costumes for the finale: a velvet tuxedo for him and a white lace dress for her, topped with a glittering gold tiara and short, shoulder-length veil. With the evil Queen Luna defeated and his engagement to her daughter Princess Selena called off, Prince Frost and Princess Seraphina had finally earned their happy ending, culminating in a royal wedding that would bring together the Kingdoms of Fire and Ice.

"Nervous?" Mikhail asked, reaching for Yume's hand and threading his fingers with hers.

Yume shook her head. It was strange. During her competitive years, she had often struggled with keeping her nerves in check before she skated, but today she was as cool and calm as the ice they skated on, not even a trace of fear despite how dangerous the Lovers' Maneuver would be. "You?"

"No, just excited," he said. "I never realized how fun it could be just to perform for an audience. No judges, no silly rules… I'm glad Coach Wong convinced me to join Kaleido Stage."

"Me, too. I wasn't sure when Sora first suggested I try out to become your new partner despite having no experience with pair skating, but it has turned out to be the best decision of my life."

"One minute until you two go on," Mia announced, coming up behind them and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "Break a leg out there!"

Yume nodded and turned her attention to the audience. The lighting was low, making it difficult to make out individual faces, but she knew the general area where her parents, Sora, and her family were sitting, along with Coach Palmer and her husband. Ekaterina and Mikhail's mother were also there, sitting a few rows back. Yume had yet to personally meet Anastasia Vladimirova, but her parents had invited Mikhail and his family out for dinner after the show - a situation that made her much more nervous than the death-defying act they were about to perform.

A change of music signaled their entrance, and a stagehand opened the gate, allowing Mikhail and Yume to glide across the "aisle" created in the space between the other pairs to the center of the ice. As soon as they got in their opening pose - facing each other and holding hands while staring into each other's eyes - the rest of the skaters filed off, giving them the audience's full attention.

Before they performed the Lovers' Maneuver, they needed to perform the rest of the romantic program Mia had choreographed for them. They had skated the program many times before in practice, but never with such passion, especially on Mikhail's part. Several times, Yume actually felt a shiver run up her spine as he touched her, and it took all her willpower not to stop what they were doing and kiss him. As for her, her jumps had never been higher or lighter, their side-by-side spins were in complete unison, and the triple twist she had only recently mastered was fast enough that she could have easily made it a quadruple.

"Ready?" Mikhail asked as he pulled her up from their final element, a dramatic death spiral, before the main event.

Taking in a deep breath, Yume nodded.

Mikhail lifted Yume high above his head, then began spinning in place - slowly at first, yet gaining speed with every turn. In order not to feel dizzy, Yume closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping her body perfectly still. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears, but she felt no fear as Mikhail continued to spin her around, trusting that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.

They had already agreed on a signal beforehand to give each other when they were ready to move onto the main part of the Lovers' Maneuver. Once Mikhail achieved the optimal speed, he let out a wordless shout, which Yume answered by reaching for the hand pressed against her back and tapping it. Using all of his strength, he then tossed Yume as high as he could in the air.

The law of gravity stated that whatever went up must come down, yet Yume hovered high above the still-spinning Mikhail's head, appearing to all present as if she was literally floating on air. In a way, that was actually true, for Mikhail had become like a tornado beneath her, spinning at such high velocity that Yume could feel the wind he produced lifting her upwards.

"This is incredible!" Yume thought, twisting her body so she could look down at Mikhail. He was nothing but a blue blur on the ice, somehow managing to increase the speed of his spin even more.

As for the audience, they sat in complete silence, staring up at Yume with awe as she began performing a series of twists, flips, and splits. Fool told her to just let loose once she was in the air, so that's exactly what she did, moving her body in whatever way she wanted. Never had she felt such absolute freedom.

A part of her wished she could stay like that forever, flying above the ice for all eternity, but of course, that was impossible. Sensing that the tornado beneath her was beginning to slow down, Yume relaxed her body and again closed her eyes as she began her descent back to Earth. For her, this was the most dangerous part of the maneuver, yet she remained calm, knowing that Mikhail wouldn't let her fall.

Sure enough, she fell straight into Mikhail's waiting arms - strong, gentle, and secure. The audience had yet to make a sound, still under the spell the Lovers' Maneuver had cast over everyone. The only thing Yume heard was Mikhail's heavy breathing as he attempted to catch his breath after undergoing such exertion.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, finally opening her eyes and looking up at Mikhail's flushed face.

He nodded. "You?"

"I feel amazing."

"Good," he said, smiling down at her before lowering his head to give Yume the longest, most passionate kiss she had ever experienced.

It was at that point that the audience jumped to their feet and started to cheer, the applause almost deafening.

* * *

Yume sat alone at her vanity in the dressing room after the show, still euphoric after the incredible experience she had just had. The Lovers' Maneuver had been everything she had expected - and more. She doubted even winning an Olympic gold medal would have compared to the applause they received that night. Closing her eyes, she relived the moment in her mind for what seemed like the hundredth time since they had taken their bows but was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Come in!" Yume said, grabbing a nearby brush and pulling it through her hair.

She assumed it would be Mikhail, coming to see if she was ready for dinner, so she was surprised to see Sora's reflection in the mirror as she entered the room, carrying a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses.

"Onee-chan!" Yume set down the brush and ran over to greet her.

"Congratulations, Yume," Sora said, handing her the bouquet. "You were amazing out there! I don't think I breathed the entire time you were up in the air. It really looked like you were flying. I'm so, so, so proud of you!"

Yume felt her cheeks flush. Out of all the people in the audience she wanted to impress, Sora - her idol - was by far the most important. "Thanks. I couldn't have done it without Misha, though. He's the best partner I could have asked for. I don't think I can ever thank you enough for convincing me to come here to try out to be his new partner."

"You already have," she said, smiling, although Yume thought her eyes looked a little watery, as if she was trying to hold back tears. "Just seeing you so happy is all the thanks I need."

"Sora…" Feeling a little choked up herself, Yume hugged her older sister, burying her face in Sora's shoulder. "Thank you."

They stayed like that for a long moment, until another knock on the door caught Yume's attention. She wiped away the tears that had unwittingly rolled down her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe, then walked over to answer the door.

That time it was Mikhail, already dressed in a nice tie and blazer.

"Are you about - Hey, are you okay?" he asked, noticing that she had been recently crying.

Yume smiled, showing him in. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little emotional, that's all. It's been a big day."

"Yeah, I suppose it has." He nodded to Sora. "Hello, Mrs. Ro- I mean, Sora."

"Better," Sora said, grinning with approval as she walked over to Mikhai and gave him a friendly hug. "Congratulations to you, too. You were fantastic out there."

Taken by surprise, Mikhail didn't seem to know how to react, only managing to stutter out a small, "Thank you."

"Anyway, I'll give you two some privacy," she said, releasing him to give Yume another hug. "I'll tell Otou-san and Okaa-san you'll meet us in about ten minutes, okay?"

"Thanks, Sora."

Once she had left, Yume fell into Mikhail's waiting embrace. "Tell me that this isn't a dream, Misha. Did we really just perform the Lovers' Maneuver? Somehow, it almost doesn't seem real."

"It's definitely real," Mikhail assured her, kissing her on the forehead. "It's a dream come true." He brushed a piece of loose hair back behind her ear. " _You're_ a dream come true, Yume."

"Oh, Misha…"

"Aww, look at the little lovebirds," another male voice said, breaking up the romantic mood between them. "See, I told you it would all work out in the end. My fortune-telling never lies."

Sighing, Yume turned around and frowned when she saw the Spirit of the Stage floating by the door. "What are you still doing here, Fool?" she asked, holding her robe tightly closed with her hand. "I thought you would disappear once we did the Lovers' Maneuver."

"Oh, don't pretend you're not happy to still be able to see me, Yume Naegino," Fool said. "After all, don't you want to become a real Kaleido Star?"

"A real Kaleido Star?"

"Well, Sora is retiring, right? That means Kaleido Stage is currently without a top star. Rosetta is a great performer, but she's never been able to quite match Sora's shine. You, on the other hand, you have the same shine as Sora and Layla - someone who is truly destined for the stage."

"But I'm a figure skater, Fool," Yume reminded him. "Even if _Fire & Ice_ remains a hit, Kaleido Stage isn't going to suddenly become a full-time ice theater."

"Then you will just have to become a trapeze artist, too," Mikhail said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist

"Misha?" She craned her neck to look back at him. "What are you saying? I can't just -"

"One thing I've learned about you, Yume, is that if you set your mind on something, there's nothing you can't do."

"B-But -"

"Besides, it might be fun to try the trapeze," he continued. "I watched a little bit of Rosetta's and Rebecca's routine during the show. Some of those maneuvers they performed were just incredible."

"Wait!" Yume pivoted around to face him. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" she asked. "You really want to try the trapeze?"

"Yes, I do. If that's what you want to do, I'm with you, absolutely." Reaching for her hands, he gave them a light squeeze. "So, what do you say? Do you want to try to become a true Kaleido Star?"

"I-I-"

Yume couldn't believe it. Even when she had briefly considered Rosetta's suggestion to take up the trapeze, she never imagined that Mikhail would want to try it, too. That was part of the reason why she never seriously considered the idea. But if Mikhail's offer was genuine…

There was only one answer she could give.

"Let's do it, Misha," Yume said. "Let's become true Kaleido Stars!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, after well over five-plus years, this story is done! Thank you to everybody who has stuck around to the end. I’m sorry that it took way longer to post this chapter than I originally planned, but I had a bit of writer’s block, on top of having fell and injured my hand about a month ago, making it impossible to do any serious typing. I hope the wait was worth it! (By the way, despite ending on a bit of a sequel hook, I have no plans to write a sequel to this story. I just don’t have a lot of time to write anymore, unfortunately.)
> 
> Aishiteru - Japanese for “I love you.”  
> Ya lyublyu tebya vsem serdtsem. - Russian for “I love you with all my heart.”


End file.
